Fabinho pays tribute to his Liverpool team-mate Firmino saying he hopes target-man stays ‘FOREVER’

Fabinho paid tribute to his Liverpool and Brazil team-mate Roberto Firmino after the Merseyside club’s 7-0 hammering of Manchester United following news that he is set to leave the club at the end of the season.

Firmino, 31, came off the bench in the 79th minute and put on a superb performance as United collapsed, first recording an assist for Mohamed Salah before scoring the seventh goal two minutes from time. 

The Liverpool forward was all smiles on the pitch and fans will have been hoping he might reconsider his decision to leave in the summer. 

Fabinho called his team-mate ‘a guy that everyone likes’ and implored him to change his mind in a post-match interview. 

Speaking to ESPN Brazil after Liverpool’s crushing win over United, Fabinho said: ‘Bobby [Firmino] is a very special guy.

Fabinho had high praise for his team-mate Roberto Firmino following Liverpool’s rout of United

Firmino’s late goal capped off an excellent team performance against the humiliated visitors

‘It’s great to have him as a team-mate. He’s a guy that everyone likes him. 

‘It was really cool that he scored today, that he celebrated in that way.

‘Everyone on the bench, on the field, celebrated with him, because he is the guy that everyone likes.’

Fabinho went on: ‘So, he’s a guy who for me should stay at Liverpool forever, who was very important since my arrival.

‘I don’t want to talk too much about the future so let’s enjoy these last few months that we have of him here. 

‘I don’t know if the situation can still change, but we joke with him a little. 

Fabinho joined Liverpool in 2018, three years after his former Brazil team-mate moved in 2015

The pair have seen success at the club across a range of different competitions including the FA Cup, Champions League and Premier League

‘But let’s enjoy it while we have this player with us, because he is a very special guy.’

Firmino has made 354 appearances for Liverpool since his arrival in 2015, scoring 108 times for the club. 

In recent years, with the introduction of players such as Diego Jota and Darwin Nunez, Firmino’s influence has waned, perhaps encouraging the forward to consider playing elsewhere next season. 

Jamie Carragher called the news that Firmino was set to depart ‘best for all parties’ when it came to light last week. The Brazilian informed Liverpool of his decision not to stay beyond the expiry of his contract at the end of the current campaign.