Mohamed Salah has compared mid-season arrival Cody Gakpo to departing team-mate Roberto Firmino as Liverpool prepare to wave goodbye to the popular striker.
After marking his Anfield farewell with a goal from the bench against Aston Villa on Saturday last weekend, Firmino will feature for Liverpool one last time at St. Mary's Stadium this afternoon (4.30pm). Jurgen Klopp and his men end what has largely been a frustrating Premier League campaign against Southampton.
Despite missing out on Champions League qualification, though, the Reds have enjoyed promising moments in the last few months and there are encouraging signs with regards to their transition, with January signing Gakpo now starting to shine following his transfer from PSV.
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Deployed in several positions to underline his versatility, the Dutchman has grabbed six goals and three assists from his 20 appearances in the Premier League so far. And, moving forward, Salah has advised his 'really clever' team-mate to ignore any outside noise as he strives to replace Firmino long-term.
During an interview with Stadium Astro, the Egyptian said: "He's kind of like Bobby. He likes to drop deep and sometimes he plays as the No. 8.
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"He knows how to play football, that's for sure. I'm not concerned if he doesn't score, as long as the team is winning then he's going to score goals anyway."
Detailing their chats on the Liverpool training ground, Salah added: "I always speak with him. He's a really clever guy and he always wants to learn. I always tell him don't listen [to any criticism], just play your football. Don't worry what people say if maybe you're not scoring a lot [at times], that's my advice to him.
"Just play your football and relax, enjoy your role in the team."
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