Ralph Hasenhuttl has talked up the standard of Liverpool’s second-choice attack after seeing them beat his Southampton side last night.
Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino and Takumi Minamino led the line for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp rotated his team. Speaking to Stadium Astro after the game, Hasenhuttl said that the three Liverpool players were quality, despite the changes.
“You could feel the belief was there that we could make it tight for them,” he said. “We had a few good moments, where the goalkeeper had a few good saves.
“This is the way you can’t play against this team, and even though they have made a lot of changes, you can see the quality they have up-front with Diogo Jota, Firmino, Minamino. This is still quality.”
The Liverpool team may have been much changed, but those three players still have 42 goals between them this season.
Taki steps up
Hasenhuttl is absolutely right here. Just because the three players up top aren’t the most regular starters for Liverpool, it doesn’t mean they’re not quality options.
Up until this season Firmino had been a nailed on starter for The Reds, whereas Jota has smashed the 20-goal mark.
Of the three, Minamino was potentially seen as the ‘weakest.’ It didn’t turn out that way at all though. Latching onto a perfect layoff from Jota, Taki rifled home a stunning finish to level up the scores.
The Japan international was a constant threat, hassling the defenders and showing neat touches in and around the box. A reminder to all of a Liverpool persuasion of just what he can do.
Capping off an excellent season
You could have forgiven Minamino for going mad after scoring on his first Premier League start of the season. Instead, he showed a classy touch by not celebrating in-front of the Southampton fans who he played for last year.
An all-round brilliant outing for Taki and a richly deserved one too. His goals have been absolutely crucial in firing Liverpool to a domestic cup double this season.
He top scored for the club in both the FA and Carabao Cup this campaign, but didn’t get on the pitch in either final. Jurgen Klopp has spoken about how difficult it has been to leave him out, but leave him out he has.
It could be that last night was the last we see of the 27-year-old in a Liverpool shirt.
If it was, then what a fitting way to bow out. A tenth goal of the year, blasted into the roof of the net to put the cherry on what has been a really productive season for him.
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