SPEED KOPS
Lovren says Liverpool’s Red arrows are best in the business
LIVERPOOL’S front line of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino is the best in the Premier League, claims Kop centrehalf Dejan Lovren.
Lovren says the quicksilver trio, all clocked at speeds of more than 20mph, are a nightmare for defenders and admits he is relieved he rarely has to mark them in training.
After flying machines Mane, Salah and Firmino all scored in the 4-0 destruction of Arsenal on Sunday, the big Croatian said: “For me they are the best. They caused Arsenal a lot of problems.
“It’s a long season and we will see towards the end who will be in first place, but you can see the difference those three players make.
“I’m lucky that I don’t have to face them very often in training. It tends to be the guys who aren’t in the first XI who get that job.
“All three of them are top players. They have pace and great quality.
“They are amazing. It would be quite difficult for any defender up against Salah, Mane and Firmino.”
Lovren, who has endured some tricky spells at Anfield, is worried that the international break has come at the wrong time for Liverpool, lying second in the Premier League table after three games.
“We really showed our quality against Arsenal,” he said. “We scored four goals and could have had more.
“Now we need everyone to stay healthy during the international break and come back together and perform like that again against Manchester City in our next game.”
Lovren claims fitness is another factor in Liverpool’s flying start to the season.
The Reds destroyed Arsenal with their high-tempo football and Lovren revealed they worked extra hard in preseason to ensure they could play at such a frenetic pace.
“As a group we’re feeling good,” said the 28-year-old Croatian international.
“In pre-season we took our bodies to the maximum so we know that in difficult games we will be ready to compete with everyone.
“Maybe we will be one of the fittest teams in the Premier League, like we showed last season. Us and Tottenham had the best records for running.”
Lovren believes Liverpool, who finished fourth last term, can do better this season, even though they must cope with the demands of Champions League football.
“We want to be better than last season,” said the former Southampton stopper.
“It’s difficult to predict how things will go but we’ve started the season in good shape and good form. Now we must continue like this – I’m confident that we can achieve at least as much this year.
“We just need to step it up a little against the so-called smaller teams.
“It’s getting harder every season in the Premier League. You can never beat somebody six-zero, seven-zero, like in La Liga when Real Madrid play Alaves.
“Here you’re fighting for your lives in every game.”