Jurgen Klopp has jumped in defense of Roberto Firmino after the striker scored a goal against Leicester to silence his critics.
Firmino found the target for just the second time this season when he headed home a corner from James Milner with just four minutes remaining at Anfield.
The Brazilian had earlier been denied a goal by the slightest of margins following clearance off the line. However, his persistence paid off as he capped off a fine 3-0 victory that moved the Reds level on points with Tottenham at the top of the Premier League.
Jonny Evans had put through his own net in the first half, with Diogo Jota adding a second as Liverpool set a new club record of 64 home games without defeat.
Firmino has come under some criticism recently and some have even called for him to be replaced by Jota in the Liverpool XI.
But Klopp once again jumped to the defense of the 29-year-old, slamming the criticism as “ridiculous”.
“That front line didn’t play too often together but how they did that tonight was not bad,” he said as quoted by Express Sport.
“Diogo is a smart player, Sadio put in an unbelievable shift.
“And Bobby (Firmino), what people say about him is ridiculous.
“Just because you have nothing else to talk about sometimes is my feeling.
“You cannot be closer to a goal than he was tonight.
“Everybody thought in that moment, ‘yes, great’ and exactly the right goalscorer.
“He played outstanding again so all good.”
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