No Mane or Mo so the heat's on Firmino: Jurgen Klopp calls for the BARCELONA SPIRIT as Liverpool are tasked with winning without their two main men for the first time in five years

  • Jurgen Klopp has urged his side to recreate the spirit shown against Barcelona
  • The Reds host Thomas Frank's Brentford at Anfield on Sunday afternoon
  •  Klopp is without stars Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane who are on AFCON duty

Jurgen Klopp is calling for the 'Barcelona spirit' on Sunday as Liverpool are tasked with winning without Mo Salah or Sadio Mane for the first time since 2017.

Though newly-promoted Brentford don't have the glamour of the Catalan giants whom Liverpool beat 4-0 in their 2019 Champions League semi-final without Salah and Roberto Firmino, there are concerns about where the goals are going to come from with their two star men away at the Africa Cup of Nations. 

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At least one of them has featured in every league game since Salah signed and they failed to break down Arsenal in the goalless Carabao Cup semi-final first leg on Thursday.

Jurgen Klopp wants his stars to recreate the spirit shown in the Barcelona comeback
Liverpool drew 0-0 against a 10-man Arsenal side in the Carabao Cup first-leg in mid-week

Firmino has scored at Norwich and Watford this season but hasn't netted in the Premier League at Anfield for more than a year.

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'Everybody is invited to score a goal. Absolutely,' said Klopp about the challenge of scoring without his big-hitters. 'But it is not about having to win 6-0. It is about winning a football game and one goal can be enough for that.

'Both Sadio and Mo are out and that's not cool but we have to go through this period and make the best of it. It doesn't depend on who is playing, it is always about how you are playing. It's a shame I have to remind you that we played one of the biggest games in our history here [v Barcelona] without Bobby and Mo.

We got a result at Crystal Palace and Mo didn't start. We won at Manchester United and Sadio didn't start. It is about finding football solutions, not telling the other players 'you have to be like him'.' 

Without Salah and Mane more responsibility rests on Firmino's shoulders. The Brazilian is known more as a goal creator and his last home league strike came against Tottenham in December 2020.

Klopp insists the striker doesn't have to change his approach but would be relieved if he shared the burden at the top end of the field with the in-form Diogo Jota. 

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Forward Roberto Firmino is tasked with helping Liverpool to overcome Brentford on Sunday
Klopp will also be counting on Diogo Jota to provide the necessary threat against the Bees

'Bobby is a very smart player. It is about using your team-mates in a way you can,' explained the Liverpool boss. 

'When he finds himself in situations he wants to score. When he has two players who offer runs in behind and he can keep the ball and pass, it makes complete sense.'

Klopp hasn't written off getting to Wembley in Thursday's second leg at Arsenal but he says the main focus is beating Brentford today to close the gap on leaders Manchester City. He's looking for an improvement in attacking free-kicks and corners.

'Against Arsenal our set-pieces were awful. They looked outstanding in training but match day it was the other way around, it is part of football,' added Klopp.

'We have to find solutions which we always do, not constantly talk about problems.

'We can only focus on things we can influence. Nobody has to change for that, everybody has to step up of course.'