Klopp feels Firmino can be ’Pool key component

LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp admits Roberto Firmino is the player he needs to pull everything together.

The Brazil international has been well short of his best form this year and his goal in Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Leicester was only his sixth in the whole of 2020, while Klopp boasts the free-scoring trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota.

Though goals have never been the main statistic on which Firmino is judged, he has been struggling with his all-round game but Klopp has a long memory and even deeper faith in his go-to players.

Heading into tonight’s Champions League Group D encounter at home to Atalanta – in which victory will secure qualification with two matches to spare – Firmino has featured in all-but one of Liverpool’s 53 European matches under Klopp, the only one he has missed through injury arguably being their greatest with the second leg semi-final comeback against Barcelona in 2019.

Firmino also holds the singleseason club record for most goals scored in a European group stage with six, although that is under threat from Jota who already had four from his first two appearances.

And while Sunday’s goal was a huge boost, Klopp sees a bigger picture.

“Scoring was always important for Bobby but Bobby is a complete footballer,” he said.

“A football team is like an orchestra, you have different people for different instruments, and some of them are louder than others, but they are all important for the rhythm.

“Bobby plays like 12 instruments in our orchestra. He’s very important for our rhythm.

“We can play well without him as well, but I certainly want him on the pitch and if you look at the numbers, I like it a lot having him on the pitch. Really awesome.”

Liverpool will welcome back Mohamed Salah after he tested negative for Covid-19 following two positives on international duty with Egypt but Klopp is waiting to find out whether he will have the likes of Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alacantara and Xherdan Shaqiri available with Naby Keita the latest to join the injury list.

Three points against Atalanta would guarantee progress to the knockout phase and offer Klopp the chance to rest the players he does have fit.

“It’s all on the table, it’s clear that if we win them some problems will be sorted,” said the manager. n MANCHESTER City’s injury problems have eased ahead of their Champions League Group C trip to Olympiacos this evening with Fernandinho and Benjamin Mendy returning to training.

Captain Fernandinho has overcome a bout of gastroenteritis and leftback Mendy is available again after injury. Defender Nathan Ake (thigh) is now the only major absentee.