Former Red Peter Crouch believes that the under-fire duo of Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino deserve a lifeline at Anfield beyond the coming summer despite both forwards failing to hit the ground running across the majority of this campaign.
Mane and Firmino came under censure in the aftermath of Liverpool FC’s draw at home to Newcastle United which saw Jurgen Klopp’s men concede an equalizer with the last kick of the game.
The Liverpool FC frontline was culpable for their lack of cutting edge in the final third of the pitch with the likes of Mane, Firmino, and Jota failing to capitalize upon a number of attacking opportunities that came their way on home turf.
However, despite recent calls for Klopp to offload two of his most influential attacking options in the Anfield setup this summer, ex-England and Liverpool FC striker Crouch reckons while speaking to the Daily Mail that both Mane and Firmino merit respect from the club’s fanbase for their displays over the years before adding that the duo would be pressured to perform much better by the time the next season comes around.
“It’s important to stress that these two players command so much respect and I am not in the business of saying they should be sold.
“I was asked about moving them on by a reader last week and I found it disrespectful to say, after all they have done, that they should be sold.”
“I’m prepared to give both of them some grace this season because things have been so strange. Liverpool need the season to end, their players need to be re-energised and I wouldn’t write them off.”
“At the same time, they really do have something to prove in August.”
