Jamie Carragher calls on Jurgen Klopp to DROP Roberto Firmino for ‘the next three or four games’

Jamie Carragher revealed Roberto Firmino would not be in his first choice Liverpool attack right now and the former Reds defender has called on Jurgen Klopp to drop the Brazilian to the bench in place of Diogo Jota.

Much has been made of Firmino’s struggles so far this season but Carragher feels his poor form, particularly at Anfield last season as they won their first league title in 30 years, was ‘masked’.

Jota, who arrived from Wolves for £41million this summer, has been impressive and while Klopp played all four attackers – with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah included out wide – against Manchester City, Carragher believes dropping Firmino is the best course of action moving forward.

Diogo Jota (left) should start ahead of Roberto Firmino (right), believes Jamie Carragher

Carragher has called on Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp (right) to put Firmino (left) on the bench

Speaking on talkSPORT, Carragher feels Firmino has been out of form for two seasons now

‘Mane-Jota-Salah,’ Carragher told talkSPORT, without hesitation, when asked for the attack he would choose were he Liverpool manager. 

‘Firmino isn’t in great form now and I don’t think he was in great form last season. Even though Liverpool won the league, certain things got masked. Firmino didn’t score a goal at home in the Premier League until the last game until Chelsea. 

‘Liverpool fans are educated enough that Liverpool’s goalscorers are out wide. But even the pressing stats, I checked them the other day and they weren’t at the numbers they normally are. 

Firmino (left) should come out ‘for three or four games’ and build confidence as a substitute

Jota (right) has impressed off the bench and already has netted six goals so far this season

‘You have ups and downs in your career… sit on the bench. Everyone is looking at him, so just leave him out for me for the next three or four games.’ 

Jota has been the one changing the game off the bench since arriving.

He already has scored six goals in 11 appearances for Liverpool and has made a strong case to be the No 1 centre forward.

Jota’s impact as a substitute emphasised Carragher’s point further in that should Firmino come out of the side, he feels the positives would outweigh the negatives. 

‘It’s hard to have a bad game coming on as a sub,’ he added. 

Klopp has a decision to make and Carragher has urged him to go with Jota as centre forward

‘You can come on and change the game and build confidence that way. The reason I would play Jota is Liverpool don’t have many goalscorers in the team. You only really have Salah or Mane. 

‘Virgil van Dijk was a scorer, the midfield three don’t really score, there’s no real Gerrard in that team.  If you put Jota in there then it takes the pressure of Mane and Salah.’

Firmino has scored once so far this season, in a 2-1 win against Sheffield United, but has for the most start been the least consistent attacker of Klopp’s forward line.