Klopp: 'Firmino is similar to Kane'

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp lauded Roberto Firmino, comparing him to Tottenham star Harry Kane.

Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino is similar to Tottenham star Harry Kane, according to manager Jurgen Klopp.

Firmino has scored 11 league goals and assisted five others in 24 games this campaign, helping his team into third in the table.

While the Brazilian is far from matching Kane on the goalscoring front – the Spurs star has won back-to-back Golden Boots and is on track for another with 21 Premier League goals this season – Klopp feels the 26-year-old is similar to the England international.

"If you see Harry Kane playing, he is all over the pitch, he is getting the ball deep. Of all the strikers we have in England, they are the most similar – they're everywhere," he said, via the Liverpool Echo.

"Harry is more coming from the nine and a little bit on the 10 while Roberto is coming from the 10 and doing a bit more but is also a nine, he's just so important for us."

Liverpool are only two points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham ahead of Sunday's clash between the teams at Anfield.

Klopp talked up the importance of Firmino, who has managed double figures in league goals in each of his three seasons at the club.

"You realise it the day after the game when you look at the figures and see, 'wow, what a number of high sprints and high distance runs'," he said.

"When you look at him in training the next day it's all good, he walks normal. On the second day of recovery he looks fresh again.

"That makes him so special, he's always ready. That makes him an interesting package as a football player because he's not fixed on a position."