Gary Neville has singled out Bobby Firmino for praise whilst naming his combined Manchester United-Liverpool XI, suggesting that the Brazilian international is a somewhat underrated figure.
The former Hoffenheim hitman was somewhat overshadowed by Mo Salah’s man of the match performance during the Reds’ 5-0 demolition job of Watford, despite registering a hat-trick on the day.
“I refuse to disrespect Firmino,” the former Manchester United star told Monday Night Football (via The Boot Room).
“The work in possession and out of possession that he does on behalf of the team is unbelievable.
“But I don’t believe that he ever really gets the full respect that he deserves for his performances and how he dovetails with midfield, how he dovetails with the two wide players, how he fills back in big games.”
The Merseyside-based outfit are set to take on their traditional arch rivals in the English top-flight on Sunday.
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We’re very much used to seeing Liverpool players being disrespected or undervalued – Van Dijk and our Egyptian King being cases in point, with the former sometimes compared with United’s Harry Maguire.
The sudden appreciation for the latter from commentators outside of Merseyside after two spectacular goals in as many games is equally bizarre given the standard of performance he has maintained since arriving at Anfield.
Given how easy it is for some to merely glance at Firmino’s stats and take him at face value, it’s nice to see the 30-year-old get the recognition his contributions have earned.