'Firmino is unique' - Klopp hails 'exceptional' Liverpool star

Jurgen Klopp has described Roberto Firmino as "a very football-smart person", highlighting his ability to bring the best out of his team-mates in the final third of the pitch.

Firmino has scored eight goals and laid on seven assists in 25 Premier League outings for Liverpool this season, with his latest telling contribution coming in a 4-0 win over Southampton on Saturday.

The Brazil international's skilful flick set up Alex Oxlade Chamberlain to score the opener at Anfield shortly after half-time, before he provided a neat cut-back for Jordan Henderson to double the home side's account on the hour mark.

Mohamed Salah produced a sublime finish 10 minutes later to put Liverpool in total command, and he doubled his account in the dying moments of the match after latching onto another decisive pass from Firmino.

The result ensured the Reds moved 22 points clear at the top of the Premier League standings, with a first league title in 30 years now only six wins away.

Klopp hailed Firmino's unique qualities after his superb display against the Saints, insisting he does not know another player in the game who operates in quite the same way as the 28-year-old.

“He is [unique],” the Liverpool boss began. “He is just exceptional, a very football-smart person, obviously.

“In the first half, in between a really tight formation of Southampton, the way he drops and keeps the ball, how he makes things happen is very special, absolutely.

“Then even a player like Bobby needs an address where he can send the ball, because he cannot take the ball and turn and run alone.

“How he uses the skills of his mates is special. I do not know a player like him, that is true.”

Fabinho continued his comeback from injury with another 90 minutes of action at the weekend, after also starting Liverpool's 2-2 draw against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup and coming on a substitute in a win at West Ham on Wednesday.

Klopp went on to praise the Brazilian for taking a "big step" forward against Southampton, as he stepped into a holding role which allowed Henderson to push forward and link up with Liverpool's front three.

“It was easy to move Hendo. Fabinho is naturally more a defensive-orientated player than Hendo,” Klopp added.

“We had to control the counter-attacks of Southampton. He [Fabinho] has struggled with rhythm. The first two games when he came on it was not Fabinho before he got injured. That is normal, so Saturday was a big step for him. He was key for us.

“We needed a calm player in the centre, not too active. That was the change at half-time. We used him more for the switches - find Fabinho, pass to the other side and then accelerate and use the power of Hendo in the half-spaces.”