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Liverpool 5 Swansea City 0: Roberto Firmino stars in five goal win against sorry Swans


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"But we need to keep going and, from (Christmas Eve), rest and think about the next game - obviously with the will of finishing the game with a much better feeling."

United's players looked ashen-faced as they traipsed onto the bus at Leicester, where they were on course for a comeback win after Mata's first top-flight brace since March 2015 cancelled out Jamie Vardy's opener.

The visitors had a number of chances to put the game to bed, but a lack of killer instinct - an all common theme last season - cost them maximum points.

Mourinho criticised his side's "childish" display after what felt like a pre-Christmas defeat for United.

"We didn't kill it - and we should have killed it," Mata said. "It's easy to say now.

"If we instead of drawing win at the end, we would have been saying that it was a fantastic game, that we came back and we did the most difficult thing which is to score twice after they went ahead.

"But that's football, you know, and in the last second they put the ball into the box and they scored.

"But we have the feeling that we should have killed the game before.

"It feels like a defeat. We get a point but it feels like a defeat because we were so close to winning and we had a chance to kill the game.

"They were with one less player (after Daniel Amartey was sent off) so it feels like a defeat."

United will still be without a string of first-team players as they look to get back to winning ways.

Michael Carrick and Maroaune Fellaini have been ruled out of the festive period, while Antonio Valencia has been struggling with a hamstring injury of late.

Eric Bailly is sidelined after ankle surgery and an unspecified injury meant versatile full-back Matteo Darmian missed the draw at Leicester, where Chris Smalling received a knock late in proceedings.


Ask Jurgen Klopp about his irreplaceable Brazilian and the Liverpool manager will seek clarification which one?

While Philippe Coutinho’s value continues to swell in a season of personal excellence, Roberto Firmino may be the most underrated player beyond Merseyside.

He took his tally for this season to 16 as Liverpool exposed and humiliated Swansea to close the gap to Manchester United in the race for the also-ran title.

Liverpool’s attack dances to Firmino’s Samba beat, his application so often enabling others to shine. He took centre stage with two of the five goals here, although his compatriot Coutinho – who scored one and created two more in the second half - was equally superb.

Whether Coutinho is still on Merseyside for a few more weeks or months, he is ensuring the long goodbye is full of memorable farewell gifts.

Should his move to Barcelona ever materialise he will leave with goodwill rather than rancour, his latest display of excellence demonstrating why he is in such demand and how much he will be missed.


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