Liverpool player Sadio Mane went to the defense of fellow striker Robert Firmin.
As the form of Jurgen Klopp’s team dropped out in 2021, the Brazilian national team player received criticism due to the lack of goals, scoring only once since Christmas.
But Mane – whose own goal 11 of 32 appearances in the same phase last season were five short – believes that without a hard-working striker, he and Mohamed Salah will get less chances.
“He deserves more credit than me and Mo,” Mane said ESPN Brazil.
“But it’s part of football, (people) always see the goals scored. But without Bobby, I don’t see Mo and I scoring as many goals as we have, to be honest.
“It makes everything easier for us. Brazil is just happy to have Firmino. I always told Bobby, ‘You’re going to have to change your citizenship and come to Senegal.’
“It would be a dream for me. I just love him. I think he’s my favorite teammate.”
The established Liverpool top three could finally have competition again as Diogo Jota returns to full training this week.
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Andy Dunn and Henry Winter discuss the reasons for Liverpool’s terrible fall in form and believe that there are problems at the club besides injuries to key players
The Portuguese international has scored eight goals in his last 11 games for the club before a knee injury in a dead Champions League tire against Midtjylland in early December took him almost three months away.
However, after trial steps with individual outdoor training, Jota – who has scored a total of nine out of 17 since arriving from the Wolves in September – is ready to join his teammates.
There is still no news on the outcome of a scan of captain Jordan Henderson’s groin problems that forced him into a derby defeat by Merseyside at home to Everton amid fears an injury could keep the midfielder for longer.