Arsenal legend Thierry Henry is particularly impressed with Liverpool’s front three and praised their eye-catching partnership that has caused havoc this season.
Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane form the Reds’ devastating front three and the trio again sparkled in their 2-0 win over Southampton on Sunday. Both Salah and Firmino assisted each other at St.Mary’s. The goal took the Egyptian’s tally to 29 goals in all competitions, while his Brazilian’s teammate’s goal was his 20th of the season.
Henry showed praise on the richly talented duo, suggesting there is plenty more to come from the forwards.
“If he flicks it too early, the players will get it but he waits a bit, goes around the ball and flicks it back towards the path of Salah,” Henry said on Sky Sports.
“Some can do it, the likes of Kevin De Bruyne or David Silva, and we saw Chelsea’s goal at Brighton. But when you have two guys on the same level in terms of their brain, that’s what you get.
“They do [look like they enjoy being on the pitch together]. Obviously it helps when we saw what we saw today, they combine a lot. Salah knows that Firmino is going to drop and he can run in behind, when he gives him the ball, he usually knows that he will receive the ball back. They’re hot at the moment.
“Obviously Salah has just arrived so it’s still early between those two but you can see a great partnership developing there.”
Former Liverpool star Graeme Souness echoed Henry’s sentiments, suggesting that both the players’ telepathic understanding could lead the club to the Premier League and silverware in the near future.
“All the teams who win trophies have more than one person that gets into double figures,” Souness added.
“If you’ve got a couple of strikers who can 20 or thereabouts and a few midfield players who can get 10 or thereabouts, it is giving you a chance and Liverpool have that.
“Those two have got an understanding and Firmino has got a football brain. We were talking off-air about what separates the good players from the great players and it is the picture they see – that is Firmino.
“With Salah, he is more explosive, he is a dribbler and he has surprised me. I didn’t think he would get anything like the goals he has got.
“I remember him as a Chelsea player as most of us do, he was good and did he get a fair crack of the whip there? Maybe not but he has been sensational this year. He is the difference in so many games.”
Indeed, it’s a treat to watch our trio of Salah, Firmino and Mane combine and tear apart oppositions. I am sure there is a lot more to come from them.
