Jurgen Klopp is hopeful the injured Roberto Firmino will return in time for an emotional farewell at Liverpool before the end of the season.
The Brazil forward will call time on a decorated eight-year spell on Merseyside when his contract expires at the end of the campaign and is potentially set for a huge ovation when Liverpool entertain Aston Villa in their final home game next month.
Firmino, though, picked up a muscle injury in training earlier this week and will now undergo a spell on the sidelines with the Reds having just eight games left to play before the final whistle is blown.
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Klopp says Firmino is likely to be able to feature before the end of the season and believes Cody Gakpo can learn from the former Hoffenheim star on how to play the centre-forward role at Anfield.
Asked if he thought Firmino would be cleared to return before he leaves, Klopp said: "I really, really, really hope . And I think so as well, yes. If you watched international football over the past five or six years and you love football and you didn't pick up anything in a similar role as Bobby Firmino then it would be a really bad decision to be honest.
"We play in public, you can watch all the games, you don't need training sessions and I think Bobby in this role is an inspiration for pretty much every player in a similar position. So that is clear.
"But for Cody it is like: he is 23 years old; he was captain of his former club (PSV Eindhoven). I've no clue how it happens that early and then when he arrives you think: 'Ah, OK.' It is because he is a super smart kid. A real team player and on top of that a really good player."
Klopp added: "Cody can play wide, can play this position (false 9), can play through the centre. He is a real No.9, a bit higher up and all these kinds of things, so he can create his own way on this position, so it is not like he can do it exactly like Bobby because nobody is Bobby so you have to find you own way and that is much more important. That is where Cody is up to.
"I thought Cody, since he's been here, has done exceptionally well. We haven't done well and for a new player that is super difficult. Super difficult to come into a team that is not clicking. He is doing well in this period and now when we do better, people will realise that maybe his performance was more positive and that is it. But from the first day he has been here he has been a real joy to work with."
Liverpool return to action when they host Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.
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