Handed the coveted Number Nine shirt during the summer, Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino has stepped up in a big way this season and though there’s so much more to his game than just goals, the Brazilian has shown that he’s no slouch in front of the net with 11-league goals and five assists to his name already.
“I didn’t really know much about him if I was totally honest,” said Reds legend Robbie Fowler. “Irrespective of whether he got the number nine, 10, 11 or 23 or whatever shirt, if you are playing up front you are expected to score goals and he has delivered,” explained the Scouse striker. “However, he has got a little bit more in his locker – the type of goals he scores he can score out of nothing,” added the 42-year old. “You might want him to chip in with a bit more but everyone is scoring goals. The way Jurgen has the team playing I am perfectly happy with how the goals are banded about.”
The loss of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona may end up taking a bite out of their numbers when it’s all tallied up in May, but going in to the meeting with relegation battling Southampton this weekend, Liverpool are in third place with an impressive 59-goals scored — second to only league leading Manchester City.
While the Reds have been pretty good at finding goals all over the pitch, their front three of Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah have done their part and then some with the Egyptian in particular looking unstoppable.
“He’s been phenomenal,” enthused Fowler, a man who knows a thing or two about finding the back of the net. “He’s really hit the ground running. He looks like he’s got goals in him every game,” continued the former Reds striker. “I hope it continues,” he added, keen to see Salah keep scoring goals. “We, as ex-players who are still big Liverpool fans, want him to keep going. We want him to break all the records going because if he’s scoring goals, it means we’re doing the right things.”
