Bobby Firmino has rightly had plenty of glowing praise thrust in his direction over the past fortnight, but not even his final appearance in a game of no real consequence could spare him an ear-bashing from Jurgen Klopp at one point on Sunday.
The Brazilian’s eight-year spell at Liverpool ended with him scoring in a chaotic 4-4 draw away to Southampton as the Reds rounded off their Premier League campaign in the knowledge that they’d finish fifth no matter what happened yesterday.
At times it seemed as if both teams were treating it like a casual kickabout, although the German’s innate elite mentality shone through at intervals at St Mary’s.
The Liverpool Echo‘s Ian Doyle compiled a list of moments which viewers may have missed from the game, with one of those involving Firmino.
The journalist explained: “It was an emotional day for Firmino, who was playing the final match in a hugely-successful eight-year career at Anfield. And his departure shortly before the hour prompted a standing ovation from not just the away end, but the home supporters also.
“However, there was little room for sentiment as far as Jurgen Klopp was concerned. That was never more apparent than during the first half, when Firmino hit a short-range pass to Curtis Jones with such venom that his team-mate found it simply too hot to control.
“Standing mere yards away on the touchline, and irate Klopp flung his arms out in the direction of Firmino to ponder exactly what he was trying to achieve. Never change, Jurgen.”
Even with nothing riding on the result yesterday, Doyle’s anecdote sums up the perfectionist nature of managers working at the highest level of football, regardless of whether the outcome of the match is of any consequence.
Firmino himself would probably have been disappointed with how he overhit the pass, but considering everything he’s given to the club since 2015, it’s hard to imagine any Liverpool fan being too displeased with an isolated moment of imperfection on a sunny Sunday afternoon on the south coast.
It certainly didn’t bother the travelling Kopites who belted out the ‘Si Senor’ chant with gusto during and after the game as they witnessed the 31-year-old in the flesh in a Reds shirt for the final time.
It nonetheless served as a reminder to players at Anfield of the standards that Klopp demands no matter what’s at stake, and in particular the younger crop coming through at the club would do well to note what’d be expected of them when they get to first-team level.