By Daily Sports on December 28, 2019
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insisted he had never lost faith in Roberto Firmino when the Brazilian was worried by a lack of goals before scoring four in three matches including the Club World Cup final.
Firmino, known affectionately to Klopp as Bobby, met with Klopp after a worrying run of one goal in 16 appearances.
But the German told Firmino he was in the side for more than just his goals, since when he's been on a spree.
Firmino followed up his goals in the semifinal and final of the Club World Cup with a Boxing Day double in the Premier League leaders' 4-0 rout of nearest challengers Leicester City.
His goals against the Foxes led to an embrace with Klopp on the touchline at Leicester's King Power Stadium.
“Journalists told me he hadn’t scored for a while, but the thing about Bobby is that I don't think about scoring,” Klopp explained.
“I think about how important he is, so we had a little talk and I told him. For the first time he was a little bit concerned about that fact (he had not scored in so many games), and I told him I was not interested in that number.
“He is the connector for our team, he is so important for us. He is the only one who can play the position, and he plays the position in a very special way.
“He doesn’t have to come (for a hug) with every goal, but this time we had a little thing where, after being calm enough to leave him on the pitch in games that I never thought about (his lack of goals), he thought he would say thank you.”
Liverpool, bidding to be crowned English champions for the first time in 30 years, are 13 points clear at the top after thrashing Leicester.
They have now extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to 35 matches, with Liverpool’s last loss in the top flight a 2-1 defeat by Manchester City on January 3.
Liverpool, who next face Wolves at Anfield on Sunday, are closing in on Arsenal’s all-time top-flight record of 49 unbeaten matches, set from May 2003 to October 2004. (AFP)
•PHOTO: Resurgent Roberto Firmino
Source Daily Sports
Posted December 28, 2019
You may also like...
Russian club unveil Aruna today
Iwobi Wants To Give Ancelotti ‘A Migraine’
Mane Promises to Win More Following UCL Success...
Semi Ajayi Joins West Brom on Permanent Deal...
Man Utd Edge Closer To Champions League After...
Awoniyi’s market value drops by €6m amid poor...

How Arsenal can win Premier League
NWFL player Ihotu regains freedom after N1.5m ransom
Onyeka doubtful for Bristol clash
D’Tigers drop to 53rd in world rankings
Commonwealth Games: Nigeria’s boxing trials final hold today
Don’t compare Itauma to Tyson — Lewis
Enyimba will bounce back – Awazie
128 boxers battle for 10 slots at 2026 C’wealth Games
Orbih returns for third stint as Nigeria badminton boss
Customs, Vipers shine at Ghana volleyball champs
Wheelchair basketball camp opens ahead C’Wealth Games qualifiers
Abinusawa wins double Ivy conference gold
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,592 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (54,916 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (52,825 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,448 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,363 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,278 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,153 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,696 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (50,866 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,387 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (47,779 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,255 views)