Jurgen Klopp Confident Roberto Firmino Will Recover in Time for Final Anfield Appearance
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is confident that Roberto Firmino will recover from injury in time for his final Anfield appearance against Aston Villa on Saturday. The Brazilian attacker is set to leave the Reds when his contract expires at the end of the season, and his last few weeks on Merseyside have been hampered by a muscle injury. Initially, it was expected that Firmino would be out for only three games, but he has now missed Liverpool's last six matches, including Monday's 3-0 win over Leicester City.
The King Power Stadium saw a chorus of chants for Firmino from the away end, before the 31-year-old was mobbed by his teammates at the end of the game in a celebratory gesture. Liverpool will play their final home game of the season against Villa on Saturday afternoon, and Klopp is expecting Firmino to return to team training on Wednesday, giving him a strong chance of signing off at Anfield with an on-field appearance.
“I think so,” Klopp told his post-game press conference when asked if Firmino would be available this weekend. “So, we drive home, tomorrow will be a day off – not for him but for the others – and then Wednesday team training he will be in, that's my information.”
Klopp went on to describe the upcoming game as “super-challenging”, as it will be not only a farewell for Firmino and other players leaving in the summer, but also a match where Liverpool must win to keep their top-four hopes alive. Victory over Leicester marked the Reds' seventh top-flight win in a row and has left them just one point behind Manchester United and Newcastle United, although they have played a game more than both of those teams.
Furthermore, Klopp's side are now guaranteed to be finishing in the top six of the Premier League table and at least qualify for Europa League football next season, which the Reds coach did not even think was possible at the start of April.
Following Saturday's visit of the Lions, Liverpool will round off a tumultuous campaign away to already-relegated Southampton on May 28. With Firmino set to return to training this week, Liverpool fans will be hoping to see the Brazilian attacker sign off at Anfield with an on-field appearance, as the Reds look to secure a top-four finish and a place in Europe's premier club competition next season.
