Firmino keeps his cool to secure Club World Cup for Reds

Jürgen Klopp struggled to find the words to describe Liverpool’s triumph in the Club World Cup before settling on “outstanding” and “sensational”. Victory in extra time over Flamengo was, the Liverpool manager said, just reward for the incredible desire his players have brought to every challenge.

Roberto Firmino’s goal decided a gripping final in Doha and delivered Liverpool’s first world title at the fourth attempt. It means Klopp’s team, 10 points clear in the Premier League with a game in hand on second‑placed Leicester, have won the Champions League, the Uefa Super Cup and the Club World Cup inside six months.

“In moments like this I struggle to find the right words to describe my respect for the boys,” the Liverpool manager said. “It is incredible. It was an incredible performance against a very good opponent. I saw so many sensationally good performances. The atmosphere was great and Flamengo should be proud of their team but I think we deserved the win. We were the better side.”

Read more here.

Firmino puts Reds into Club World Cup final

Different continent, different competition, same old Liverpool. The Club World Cup semi-final proved a complication for the European champions but Roberto Firmino found a familiar solution with a stoppage‑time winner against Monterrey.

“Staying on track is part of our game,” said Jürgen Klopp. The track leads to a final with Flamengo on Saturday, and the chance to be crowned best in the world for the first time.

The importance of the competition was writ large on the devastated faces of the Monterrey players after Firmino tapped home an intelligent cross from his fellow substitute Trent Alexander‑Arnold to seal a slender and difficult victory.

Read more here.