Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has praised the impact of new signing Mohamed Salah so far this season, saying the Egypt international can go on to score 25 goals for the Reds this season.
Salah scored twice against Southampton on Saturday to take his tally to 14 goals in all competitions since signing from Roma for £34m in the summer.
And former Reds defender Carragher has spoken out about the winger, saying he should be classed as a goalscorer despite that not being his primary objective.
Carragher told Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football: “You think of the great goalscoring wingers and if he is here for three or four years he’s on the verge of eclipsing them all.
“Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg and Ryan Giggs at times for Manchester United were wide players who made those runs that Salah is making across defenders, running in behind.
“People questioned Liverpool last season that they didn’t have a goalscorer and you always imagine your goalscorer as your number nine; Harry Kane for Spurs or Romelu Lukakau or Alvaro Morata at top clubs as a centre-forward who gets a lot of goals.
“Liverpool have got Firmino, but if Salah is getting the goals it doesn’t matter where he’s playing. If he is going to get 25 goals this season – which he looks on course to get – it’s not a problem what position you get them in.
“Firmino will probably get or 10 or 12, which is a good return for a wide player. If you flip them around position-wise it’s not a problem.
“Salah will take a little bit of pressure off Firmino in terms of that accusation that he doesn’t get enough goals.
“They’ve really got a top goalscorer now.”
Former Liverpool forward Craig Bellamy also jumped at the chance of praising the forward, who he described as a brilliant signing.
“With Sadio Mane going away to the Africa Cup of Nations or being injured, it was important that they got Salah in or a player like that because he will get goals,” said Bellamy.
“Salah will take a little bit of pressure off Firmino in terms of that accusation that he doesn’t get enough goals.
“If you look at his record last year for Roma, he scored 19 goals and the season before that he got 15.
“He gets goals and he’s been a brilliant signing for Liverpool this season.”
