BIG MATCH ANALYSIS

CLASSY FIRMINO MIXES GRAFT WITH GUILE

I HAVE never seen a centre forward work as hard to win back the ball as Roberto Firmino. He sets the tempo for this Liverpool team but he is so much more than just a workhorse. He gets into positions where many centre forwards would go for glory but Firmino (right) is unselfish. In the Champions League this season he has scored 10 but set up another seven. Firmino’s anticipation is second to none, waiting patiently for the perfect moment to thread the ball to Sadio Mane for Liverpool’s first goal. This mixture of graft and guile makes him the perfect forward for Jurgen Klopp. The fact that he has been tied to a fiveyear contract only highlights his importance.

TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD will have gained valuable experience from what was a tricky night for the 19-year-old. The right back has been superb this season but Roma set out to target him. Liverpool did not give him enough support — something which they must address with Real Madrid’s lethal left back Marcelo awaiting them in the final.

MAGIC MANE HITS TOP GEAR AT PERFECT TIME

WHEN Zinedine Zidane does his team-talk in Kiev, it will not just be Mohamed Salah who the Real Madrid manager will identify as Liverpool’s danger man. Sadio Mane was sensational in Rome, always deadly on the ball with his lightning pace. His brilliant first goal put Roma on the back foot and left them staring at a four-goal deficit. Having been Liverpool’s star player alongside Philippe Coutinho last season, Mane has not always got the plaudits this year with Salah scoring so many goals. Last night he was more effective than the Egyptian. Mane is hitting top gear at the perfect time for Klopp.