Liverpool handed major ‘boost’ pre-January after Salah and Mane AFCON latest – pundit
Liverpool have been handed a major boost ahead of January with Roberto Firmino returning to training, according to Noel Whelan.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the 30-year-old’s comeback has come at the ideal time with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane set to jet off to the African Cup of Nations next month.
Firmino returned to full team training last Thursday (9 December) after seven games out with a hamstring injury.
However, he did not make the matchday squad for Saturday’s 1-0 win over Aston Villa.
With Jurgen Klopp set to lose Salah and Mane for as many as seven games, Whelan insisted Firmino’s return could not come at a better time.
Whelan told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “We all know what an exceptional player Firmino is.
“That cleverness about his play and movement that he has. He doesn’t really get the credit that he deserves at times. The spotlight is always on Salah, Mane and other players.
“To have somebody like that at your disposal coming back, especially when you’ve got two players that are going to the African Cup of Nations, this is now a very good time.
“It’s a very welcome boost for Jurgen Klopp to have him back in the side and back in the outfit. He can give him the game time he needs to get up to speed before these players go off to the cup competition.
“You can’t turn your nose up at a Firmino with the intelligence of play that he has. With Jota as well, these are exceptional players that Liverpool have in the final third.”
Firmino has scored six goals in 11 appearances this season.
However, he has only netted in three games, with a hat-trick against Watford and a brace versus Porto.
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