Despite Diogo Jota being in the form of his life over the past few weeks for Liverpool FC, ex-England international John Barnes has backed Roberto Firmino to retain his place in the XI that will take the field this Sunday at the Etihad Stadium as Premier League action gets underway once again for the Reds.
With Jurgen Klopp’s side gear up to face Manchester City away from home, the Liverpool FC boss has a major headache over his team selection for the weekend clash, with Diogo Jota’s recent form in front of the goal warranting a place for the Portuguese international ahead of the misfiring Firmino.
However, Barnes believes that the 29-year-old Brazilian will prove to be a better fit for the Reds’ when going up against an opponent of Manchester City’s calibre.
Firmino’s defensive work-rate, something that has made the forward a real menace to deal with on the pitch, should be a key factor in Klopp choosing to field him rather than Jota, who scored a hat-trick in the mid-week Champions League fixture against Atalanta, according to the former Liverpool FC striker Barnes.
“Jota scored a hat-trick, but that doesn’t mean he automatically goes into the team against Man City,” Barnes said in a chat with talkSPORT.
“I think who plays depends on what the games are and who they’re against and how that team plays.
“Against Man City, where you’re not going to have as much possession, maybe Firmino will be a better bet. You need a player like Bobby Firmino to not only get hold of the ball but also do his defensive work.
“If you’re playing a game against Atalanta or Leeds, a more open team, they you can see Jota coming in.”
