The excitement is building ahead of Liverpool's hotly anticipated Europa League clash with Dortmund, but who will make the cut up-front? Daniel Sturridge is the obvious choice to lead the line, but Reds legend John Aldridge has urged Jurgen Klopp to consider a different option.
In his column for the Liverpool Echo this week, Aldo suggested that Klopp 'will be tempted to go with Firmino' ahead of Sturridge. He explained:
"I think Firmino^ will be fit, and he’s showed that he can be the man for the big occasion this season. Having Sturridge to come on if it’s tight is a massive option too".
Even if Firmino is 'fit', he won't be fully match-fit, and it's potentially foolhardy to rush the Brazilian into an (inevitably) intense game after a hamstring injury.
That said, Sturridge doesn't appear to be 100% match-fit either, so it's basically the same situation.
One thing is clear, though: Firmino's record as a striker is superior to Sturridge's this season:
* Firmino: 6 goals/5 assists in 10 games as a central striker (One every 80 mins).
* Sturridge: 7 goals/1 assist in 15 games (One every 125 mins)
Clearly, Klopp is covered either way, and if he decides to go with Firmino, there is a strong probability that the Brazilian will either score or create a goal.
Firmino - hailed by Coutinho as 'amazing on the field - also has one minor advantage over Sturridge: he knows this Dortmund team very well, and played against Reus et al ten times during his 5-year spell at Hoffenheim.
^ Reportedly on £100k-a-week
Author: Jaimie K
In his column for the Liverpool Echo this week, Aldo suggested that Klopp 'will be tempted to go with Firmino' ahead of Sturridge. He explained:
"I think Firmino^ will be fit, and he’s showed that he can be the man for the big occasion this season. Having Sturridge to come on if it’s tight is a massive option too".
Even if Firmino is 'fit', he won't be fully match-fit, and it's potentially foolhardy to rush the Brazilian into an (inevitably) intense game after a hamstring injury.
That said, Sturridge doesn't appear to be 100% match-fit either, so it's basically the same situation.
One thing is clear, though: Firmino's record as a striker is superior to Sturridge's this season:
* Firmino: 6 goals/5 assists in 10 games as a central striker (One every 80 mins).
* Sturridge: 7 goals/1 assist in 15 games (One every 125 mins)
Clearly, Klopp is covered either way, and if he decides to go with Firmino, there is a strong probability that the Brazilian will either score or create a goal.
Firmino - hailed by Coutinho as 'amazing on the field - also has one minor advantage over Sturridge: he knows this Dortmund team very well, and played against Reus et al ten times during his 5-year spell at Hoffenheim.
^ Reportedly on £100k-a-week
Author: Jaimie K
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