Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher sparked a fascinating debate while comparing Kai Havertz with Liverpool legend Roberto Firmino, and Neville was having absolutely none of the comparison.
The discussion began with Neville praising Havertz as a quality footballer but questioning whether the Arsenal forward has the ability to genuinely terrify defenders.
“Havertz is a good player, a very good performer, but he’s not going to frighten the life out of you,” Neville said.
Carragher, however, immediately brought Firmino into the conversation. He pointed out that the Brazilian was not necessarily the type of forward who intimidated defenders purely through his physical presence or frightening pace, yet he played a crucial role in Liverpool’s devastating attack alongside Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané.
“Firmino didn’t frighten defenders either, but that didn’t stop him being a huge part of Salah and Mané’s success,” Carragher argued.
That comparison immediately triggered a strong reaction from Neville.
“No, no, no. Please, please, please, please don’t disrespect Firmino in terms of what a player he was. He was unbelievable, and what he did for Mané and Salah was essential.”
Carragher then suggested that Havertz could potentially perform a similar role.
“Havertz can be that then.”
But Neville remained completely unconvinced.
“No, I don’t think Havertz is as good as Firmino in any way, shape or form.”
And that is where the debate becomes particularly interesting.
Firmino’s importance to Liverpool’s success under Jürgen Klopp was about far more than his goals. The Brazilian operated as a false nine, constantly dropping into deeper areas, linking midfield with attack, pressing aggressively and creating space for Salah and Mané to attack.
His movement often pulled defenders away from dangerous areas, allowing Liverpool’s wide forwards to exploit the gaps. His contribution could therefore be difficult to measure simply by looking at his goal tally.
Havertz, meanwhile, has developed into a versatile forward capable of playing as a striker, attacking midfielder or in wider areas. His movement, intelligence and ability to combine with teammates make him an important player, but Neville clearly believes Firmino operated at another level.
The disagreement also highlights an important question for Arsenal and Liverpool fans: can a forward who does not necessarily strike fear into defenders still become the key piece that unlocks an elite attack?
Firmino proved that the answer can be a resounding yes.
Carragher may have expected Neville to understand the comparison, but instead Neville practically slammed the brakes on the entire argument.
And honestly, the way Neville defended Firmino was probably the most unexpected part of the exchange.
Reds, was Neville right to reject the Havertz and Firmino comparison, or could Havertz eventually have a similar influence on an attack?
Thoughts?