Alan Shearer has heaped praise on Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino for his role in the 3-1 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday.
The Brazilian started on the bench at Anfield and was brought on towards the end of the first half with the scores level as Divock Origi left the field with an ankle injury.
Firmino delivered two assists in the game to secure all three points for the Reds, which saw them extend their winning run to 14 games.
Speaking on Match of the Day, as quoted by the Chronicle, Shearer singled out Firmino as Jurgen Klopp’s gamechanger, hailing his performance as magnificent.
“Firmino gets in between the defence and the midfield, the defenders have got a problem,” he said.
“You get close and he does a flick, it’s computer game stuff. They know each others game inside out, the front three are absolutely magnificent.”
“Firmino was only on for 53 minutes. He didn’t get his goal but his performance was magnificent.”
OPINION
There is no doubting that Firmino’s touch of class after coming on completely changed the game. Origi offers a different threat and is more of an out-and-out striker compared to the Brazilian, who is much more capable of dropping deeper to collect possession and push forward to set up chances for his teammates – as highlighted by his two assists. The 27-year-old made it look easy at times as pinpointed by Shearer, with his flick for Liverpool’s third and Salah’s first strike simply phenomenal, and Newcastle’s defence had no answers. Despite only being on the pitch for 53 minutes, he had three shots on goal, as well as completing a single dribble and key pass according to WhoScored, stats that demonstrate just how dangerous he was in the final third. Klopp will have been delighted with the impact the Brazilian made off the bench, with his attitude perfect for the situation Liverpool found themselves in, and a spot in the starting line up will be guaranteed for next week.
