There is no question that a Jurgen Klopp Liverpool squad without Robert Firmino is going to feel very strange indeed. No player has made more appearances for the German in his managerial career and he is one of only four who have been with the Reds throughout Klopp’s tenure.
As a centre-forward who is just as happy (or happier?) to set up goals for his team-mates as he is to score himself, Firmino is approaching unique status. Where Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez all have a percentage of their Liverpool goal contributions through assists in the twenties, the Brazilian clocks in at 40 per cent.
While this makes him sound hard to replace – and that’s before we get to him leading the Reds’ press for many years – the truth is that he has fallen down the pecking order in the last 18 months. However, this has merely accentuated an aspect of his play which Liverpool will need to ensure they have available next season and beyond.
