Gary Lineker drooled over Roberto Firmino for the “incredible awareness” he showed in setting up Mohamed Salah for Liverpool’s third goal against Bournemouth on Saturday.
The Merseyside giants climbed back to the Premier League summit with an exhilarating performance at Anfield that featured some outstanding attacking play.
The champagne moment came with what Match of the Day host Lineker hailed as the “brilliantly clever” back heel from Firmino that teed up Salah for his 17th league goal of the season.
Superb goal from @MoSalah with the most brilliantly clever assist thanks to incredible awareness from Firmino.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) February 9, 2019
OPINION
Liverpool really turned on the style against Bournemouth following consecutive ropey performances against West Ham and Leicester City that had prompted widespread claims they were bottling their title challenge. That was, of course, utter nonsense. Given their relentless point-hoarding this season, Liverpool were due a mini-blip, and the key is to make sure they don’t become major ones. What will really please Jurgen Klopp and his coaching staff was how his side dominated Bournemouth from start to finish. They hounded the visitors when in possession and attacked clinically and with imagination. This was most evident when Firmino, racing on to a through ball, demonstrated he really does have eyes in the back of his head by backheeling to the advancing Salah, who drove his shot emphatically into the goal for his 20th strike of the season in all competitions. It was classy and imaginative. Firmino was anonymous against West Ham, but he’s clearly showed his mojo is back.