Where can Roberto Firmino fit into Liverpool’s starting XI?

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For a number of seasons, Liverpool’s entrance three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Robert Firmino was unbreakable. However Jurgen Klopp has opted to shuffle his pack in latest instances.

Salah lately signed a brand new record-breaking contract with the Reds, whereas Mane swapped Merseyside for Bayern Munich. However what about Firmino?

With solely a 12 months left on his present deal, the 30-year-old may have only one season left at Anfield. Nonetheless, he will certainly be determined to cement a spot in Klopp’s beginning XI.

Sadly for Firmino, the latest arrival of Darwin Nunez from Benfica gained’t assist his trigger. Nunez is considered by many as a direct alternative for Firmino, provided that each gamers just like the occupy the central ahead function.

Nunez scored 34 objectives in 41 video games throughout all competitions final season, together with 26 objectives in 28 Liga Portugal outings. In the meantime, Firmino bagged 5 objectives and 4 assists in 20 Premier League appearances.

Granted, the Brazilian spent a big portion of the earlier marketing campaign sidelined by harm. However he’s nonetheless nowhere close to as prolific as Nunez.

It’s honest to say that Firmino’s finest Premier League seasons got here at first of his time at Liverpool. After arriving from Hoffenheim in 2015, he wasted no time in turning into one in every of Klopp’s star gamers.

Throughout his first three seasons for the Reds, Firmino racked up 36 objectives and 25 assists in 103 league video games – averaging 0.60 aim involvements per sport throughout that interval.

Against this, he has managed 35 objectives and 26 assists in 128 league video games throughout the earlier 4 seasons – averaging 0.48 objectives per sport. This tells us that his output has dropped over the previous few years.

It is usually value noting that Liverpool have Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz of their ranks, heightening the competitors for locations.

Jota has chalked up 34 objectives and 9 assists since becoming a member of from Wolves in 2020. In the meantime, Diaz managed to gather six objectives and 5 assists through the second half of final season following his transfer from Porto.

In fact, Firmino continues to be a top-class participant. However there isn’t a denying that he has fallen down the pecking order at Anfield in latest instances.

As a result of arrival of Nunez – and the continued brilliance of Diaz and Jota – Firmino may wrestle for sport time through the upcoming season.