Roberto Firmino Liverpool

'Firmino is one of the best' - Oxlade-Chamberlain talks up Liverpool forward

Roberto Firmino is “one of the best”, according to Liverpool team-mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, with the Brazilian almost unique in what he offers.

Most strikers are renowned for being either an out-and-out goalscorer or team player used as a focal point to bring others into play.

Firmino manages to blur those lines, with the Brazil international prepared to work hard for the collective cause while still filling his boots on an individual level .

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He has contributed 22 goals to the Liverpool cause this season, and a further nine assists across all competitions, with Oxlade-Chamberlain quick to talk up the value of a Jurgen Klopp favourite.

“Bobby is such a quality striker, especially in our team – he fits the team so well,” the England international midfielder told the Reds’ official website .

“We’ve got Danny Ings and Dom Solanke that do it really well as well, defending from the front. They all work hard.

“Bobby is one of the best I’ve seen at winning the ball back from the front; he presses people from their blind side and they don’t know he’s coming and he wins it back.

“He’s really good at dropping in as well; he can play as a false 9 where he is not always so high, he drops in, comes short for the ball and that opens up the space for Mo [Salah] and Sadio [Mane] to run in behind.

“The three of them work really well and when they’re playing the way they can, when Bobby is coming deep and the other two are running in behind, it gives you so many options to play in behind or to feet to link up with them.

“When they’re on song, there is no three you’d rather have in front of you.”

Mane Firmimno Salah Liverpool

Firmino’s return this season has contributed towards a 66-goal haul from Liverpool’s fearsome front three .

Oxlade-Chamberlain added on trio who have found the target 16 times between them in their last six outings: “It’s frightening.

“There won’t be too many trios in Europe that can muster up those sorts of numbers.

“They’ve been brilliant for us in front of goal, but defensively as well they know their jobs, they work really hard and they’re really good, honest lads and good to be around.

“They’re the type of lads that you really want to see succeed and do well, and you want to do everything you can to help them to achieve their goals and ultimately to help the team achieve all of our goals.”

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