“The whole team is happy for him” – Roy Keane singles out ‘popular member’ of Liverpool dressing room for special praise after FA Cup win
Former footballer Roy Keane has praised Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino for his influence in the Reds' dressing room following their FA Cup fifth-round win.
Minamino scored twice in the first half to help his side to a 2-1 victory against Norwich City last night (March 2). The result meant Liverpool have qualified for the quarterfinals of the FA Cup for the first time under Jurgen Klopp.
Speaking after the game on ITV Sports, Keane said on Minamino (as quoted by the Liverpool Echo):
“When you look at the way in which he scored those two goals, you wouldn’t know that he had not played a lot of football because they are both good finishes.”
The Irishman went on to add:
“It helps that he is a popular member of the dressing room because he comes in, scores goals and the whole team is happy for him.”
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Minamino opened the scoring for the Reds in their FA Cup clash against Norwich in the 27th minute after receiving a pass from Divock Origi inside the box. The Japanese forward doubled their advantage 12 minutes later, firing in on the half-volley after the Canaries failed to clear Kostas Tsimikas' corner.
Norwich got a goal back in the 78th minute when Lukas Rupp scored with an excellent finish from outside the box after receiving Josh Sargent's pass. However, the Reds held on to extend their unbeaten streak across all competitions to 14 matches.
Takumi Minamino has delivered for Liverpool in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup this term
The presence of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino has meant that Minamino hasn't received enough chances to play regularly for Liverpool. Since arriving in January 2020, he has made just 53 appearances for the Reds, while also spending a brief period away on loan to Southampton.
However, he has been crucial to Klopp's side this season. Minamino has scored nine goals in 22 appearances across all competitions and has been important to their excellent runs in both domestic cups.
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The 27-year-old scored four goals and laid out an assist during the Reds' run to Carabao Cup success. This included a goal and assist in their incredible 3-3 comeback against Leicester City in the quarterfinals, which they eventually won on penalties.
Minamino has now scored thrice in three FA Cup matches to help Liverpool reach the last-eight of the competition. With the Merseyside outfit looking to win all available trophies, the Japanese attacker will likely have a crucial role to play over the rest of the season.