How Firmino would help Aubameyang score “a lot of goals” at Liverpool, according to Jose Mourinho
Former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho believes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would thrive at Liverpool.
The Portuguese coach thinks the Arsenal forward, who signed a four-year deal with the Gunners after joining from Borussia Dortmund for £56m in January 2018, would score plenty of goals in Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Would Aubameyang work at Liverpool? Five key things to know…
- In his first full season at Arsenal, Aubameyang scored 22 Premier League goals to jointly win the Golden Boot.
- The Gabon international has hit three goals in four this season.
- Klopp recently described Aubameyang as a “goal machine” with “no real weakness”.
- Aubameyang, meanwhile, credits his “strong personality” to the coaching of Klopp…
- …under whom he scored 29 goals in 65 Bundesliga appearances.
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Three-time Premier League-winning manager Mourinho appeared on Sky Sports’ coverage of the Gunners’ comeback draw against Tottenham Hotspur, in which Aubameyang scored the second-half equaliser.
After the game, Mourinho praised the striker, who was operating on the left-hand side of Arsenal’s front three alongside Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe.
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Despite his goal, the former Chelsea coach asserted that the Gabonese forward would be more prolific playing in the same position for Liverpool.
“I think they’re very good players. Normally they should be on the pitch all three together,” said Mourinho.
Aubameyang was gradually moved from a wide position to the centre-forward role at Dortmund by Klopp after the departure of Robert Lewandowski in 2014. Mourinho believes the spaces left by Roberto Firmino would enable the Gabonese to get into more deadly, central areas were he a Liverpool player.
Mourinho added: “I think Aubameyang probably likes to play in the middle because he feels that he can score more goals. But maybe he can score as many goals playing on the left.
“What happens in Liverpool, [Roberto] Firmino drops back, in between the lines. Then he gives more space for [Mohamed] Salah and [Sadio] Mane to attack these diagonals.
“I could see Aubameyang playing on that left-side for Liverpool and scoring a lot of goals.”
COMPARED: Roberto Firmino vs. Alexandre Lacazette in the Premier League since the start of the 2017-18 season w/@Coral.
Two No.9s so important to their side. 💪 pic.twitter.com/O3DEUEabZw
— Squawka (@Squawka) August 23, 2019
Despite similarities in terms of selfless work-rate, interplay and output, Mourinho expressed his view that “Lacazette doesn’t have that quality” which he ascribed to Firmino.
Liverpool top the Premier League table with four wins from four while Arsenal and Spurs occupy fifth and ninth respectively, though only two points separate them.
As for the Golden Boot race, Sergio Aguero is the early front-runner on six goals. Aubameyang trails by three goals, level with Salah and one ahead of Firmino and Sadio Mane, who currently plays in the left-sided position in which Mourinho believes Arsenal’s No.14 would fill his boots.
