Tottenham Hotspur pair Lucas Moura and Emerson Royal have included Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino in their dream five-a-side team.
The duo were asked to put together a team of five Premier League Brazilians for the Premier League YouTube channel.
When it came to deciding the forward position, Moura and Emerson were in total agreement that Liverpool’s number 9 was their man.
“Firmino,” said the players almost in unison.
“I like him because he can score a lot of goals,” said Moura. “He also drops a lot and he has the quality to go to the ball, to get an assist, he has this ability.”
Liverpool players the talk of the town
Firmino wasn’t the only Liverpool player under discussion during the interview. Fabinho was discussed as an option in the midfield by Emerson.
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“He (Fabinho) is such a top quality player,” said Emerson. “He reads the danger and he snuffs it out. He’s got real fighting spirit, so for me it’s Fabinho.”
Moura on the other hand, thought Manchester City destroyer Fernandinho should get the nod. Rubbish!
Finally, although obviously not Brazilian, Sadio Mane was also spoken about.
The context being Emerson naming the Liverpool man as his hardest opponent so far in the Premier League.
“Mane – he’s so fast, so quick, so strong,” said the defender. “It’s not often you get a player like that with so much speed, strength and skill.”
He won’t be alone in that you wouldn’t think. Mane has been giving defenders recurrent nightmares since he arrived in England in 2014.
Our number nine
For all the brilliant Brazilians to have graced the Premier League, Bobby Firmino belongs in a class of his own.
The 30-year-old continues to be criminally underrated by many outside of Liverpool. But it is he who holds the title of the top-scoring Brazilian in Premier League history with 71.
For a player who’s best attributes aren’t goal-scoring ones, that’s an impressive feather in his cap.
Those who have played with Firmino know and appreciate just how good he is. When he does eventually leave Liverpool, he’ll be incredibly difficult to replace.