Liverpool don’t need Barcelona-bound Philippe Coutinho… so long as Roberto Firmino stays
LIVERPOOL don't need Barcelona-bound Philippe Coutinho... so long as Roberto Firmino is at the club, according to the stats.
Since the Brazilian forward, 26, joined the Reds from Hoffenheim in the summer of 2015, no Liverpool player has scored as many goals as him in the Premier League.
Firmino has netted 24 goals in a little over two seasons at Anfield - more than £130million-rated Coutinho.
The former Bundesliga star scored during Liverpool's 3-0 demolition job of newly-promoted Huddersfield on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Coutinho is the Reds' second-leading scorer in the same span with 23, while Sadio Mane is third with 16 goals - despite only joining last season.
Another Saturday scorer - Daniel Sturridge - comes in at No4, with 13 goals.
After his blistering season alongside Luis Suarez in 2013-14, the England ace has cooled off dramatically, mostly due to a succession of frustrating injuries.
Divock Origi, currently on loan at Wolfsburg, is joint-fifth in the standings, along with James Milner and Adam Lallana on 12 goals.
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16-cap Brazil international Firmino has been a hugely consistent player for Liverpool since joining just over two years ago.
After scoring ten goals in 31 Premier League matches in his debut year, the South American scored 11 in 35 outings last season.
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Already this season, Firmino has scored three times in ten games in the Premier League.
The Brazil ace has also scored four goals in five outings in the Champions League this season - including two in the 7-0 win over Maribor.
Firmino has also scored against Watford, Arsenal, former club Hoffenheim and Sevilla so far in 2017-18.
