Carragher names, explains his ‘favourite’ Liverpool player

Matt Stead

Jamie Carragher has explained why Roberto Firmino is his “favourite player” at Liverpool.

Firmino has enjoyed the best goalscoring season of his career thus far, yet his exploits have been somewhat overshadowed by Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian has netted a phenomenal 43 goals in his first season at Anfield, but that would not be possible without the work of Firmino – the man Liverpool should continue to build around.

No player has played more minutes (3,837) or featured in more games (50) for Liverpool this season than the Brazilian. The Reds have drawn (v Chelsea, 1-1 in November) and lost (v Leicester, 2-0 in September) the only two matches he has played no part in.

Carragher says he loves watching Firmino play.

“I love Firmino,” he told Goal. “He’s probably my favourite player! What Salah is doing is ‘wow’ but I love watching Firmino play; his touch, the way he links the play, his strength, his working back.

“And I can’t believe that some people still say we need a centre-forward! I hear pundits on TV saying it and it’s like, ‘Oh my god!’ He’s got 27 goals! And he’s not just a penalty-box striker. He doesn’t take loads of penalties.

“It’s because of Messi, Ronaldo, Salah now. They’ve changed the way people look at strikers and their numbers. But that’s not normal, what they’re doing! If you’ve got an attacking player getting 25 goals, and doing everything Firmino does besides, then you’ve got a great player.

“I think he’s arguably Klopp’s most important player, for how we press, what we do. He’s just brilliant.”