Roberto Firmino: Liverpool forward is priceless, claims team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold
Roberto Firmino: Liverpool forward is priceless, claims team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold

Roberto Firmino goals record: Jurgen Klopp backs Brazilian striker as he closes in on full season without a league goal at Anfield


Roberto Firmino is just 90 minutes away from completing one of the more curious statistics in Liverpool's record season.

Liverpool have cruised to the Premier League title and won 17 of their 18 home league games this season, and yet their number nine is 90 minutes away from drawing a blank at Anfield in the entire campaign.

Roberto Firmino struck the post against Burnley on Saturday as the Reds dropped points at Anfield for the first time this season - scuppering their hopes of becoming the first top-flight side since 1892 to win every home league game.

It's a bizarre twist of fate that the Brazil international hasn't managed to score at Anfield in the league since March last year - and in fact he's managed just a single Champions League goal against Atletico Madrid on home turf since then.

Firmino has scored 11 goals this season, with seven of them being winners, but he's still way behind Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, who have scored 23 and 20 respectively.

He's also near the top of an unwated statistical category as he's missed 20 big chances this season - that puts him third on the list behind just Tammy Abraham and Gabriel Jesus (22).

Jurgen Klopp, though, has always believed that Firmino's game is about so much more than goals - and is not concerned that he has developed a mental block about scoring at home.

"It cannot become a psychological problem because Bobby played an outstanding game and we don't judge him," said Klopp.

"We just don't think about it. It's not important who scores. We need Bobby for other things, we need Bobby in exactly the spaces where he was, we need him as a link-up for all the other things.

"We only have chances in other positions because Bobby plays the way he plays. And he will score, there is absolutely no doubt about it.

"We are not worried at all about that because he played an outstanding game and was involved in so many decisive situations."

A draw with Burnley felt like a defeat for Liverpool as, along with their 24-game home winning streak being lost, they now have to pick up maximum points in their final three games to beat City's Premier League record points total of 100.

Can Firmino break his Anfield duck?

Firmino has just one more game left to try and break his Anfield duck this season, but it's not a great fixture for him as Chelsea visit for Liverpool's final home game of the season on Wedneday July 22.

The 28-year-old has scored just one goal in seven Premier League games against the Blues, and that came at Stamford Bridge, while that's his only goal against them in 10 appearances in all competitions.

Contrast that form with Wednesday's opponents Arsenal, who are Firmino's favourite opposition to play against having netted eight goals in nine games against the Gunners.

This week's game comes at the Emirates but even when they came to Anfield this season, Firmino obviously failed to find the net - which against this team is unheard of.

Firmino had bagged seven games in four previous home games against Arsenal, but in what could have been a sign of things to come, he failed to score in a 3-1 win for Klopp's side.

His game is more than just about goals, and it's a good job given his return this season. Liverpool could well lift the Premier League trophy against Chelsea after a dominant campaign without an Anfield goal from their number nine.

In a season full of new records and statistics, that will go down as one of the more curious.

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