Andoni Iraola confirms Liverpool have their new Roberto Firmino

Andoni Iraola's words confirm Liverpool have a new Roberto Firmino.

The Brazilian is one of the most underappreciated club icons in recent memory. Firmino never really sought the acclaim of the Anfield crowd.

He was more like a cog in a machine. He kept Jurgen Klopp's side running and he helped provide the stamina and fuel for Sadio Mane and Mo Salah to play at their very best.

Firmino was unselfish. Yet he was capable of doing magnificent things. He worked tirelessly and embraced Klopp's philosophy of gegenpressing to the max.

Without him, who knows whether the Reds would have been able to achieve everything they did. That's how essential the Brazilian was to the operations at Anfield.

Liverpool's Roberto Firmino hole and the plans to fix it

Since he left, the Reds have not really found a suitable replacement for him. Darwin Nunez was hard-working but he never really had the finesse of Firmino.

Liverpool have moved on, and have embraced a different philosophy.

There is a new type of no.9. Someone who doesn't need to facilitate but someone who is more of the Mane and Salah mould in the sense that he likes and wants to score goals.

Alexander Isak is definitely that profile. He now represents the future of Liverpool. The Reds signed him to score goals and that is what he is doing under Andoni Iraola.

The Swede has three goals in three games in the Premier League. And behind him there is a player though who is becoming the Reds' new Firmino.

Andoni Iraola confirms Lewis Koumas is just like Firmino

Ever since pre-season, the Welshman has emerged as a genuine option in the attacking line. Koumas scored against Sunderland in Iraola's first ever game, and he's been regularly making cameos in competitive matches as well.

Koumas made his Premier League and Champions League debut under Iraola, and it's clear he is a key part of the Spaniard's plans.

It's easy to see why, Koumas presses tirelessly. Like Firmino he works for the team, and he facilitates and makes everyone better around him.

In his most recent press conference ahead of Liverpool's game against Fulham, Iraola lavished high praise on Koumas:

“For me, Koumas the first week I was here I already told the club he was staying! I had very few doubts.

"He's someone who trains very well, good attitude, good player, scores goals. He needs to add more things obviously as he's a young player but he has good amount of experience playing in Championship at high level. He is ready to help us.

"When I bring him on he helps us in all situations. He has a very clear idea of what he needs to do, which is help the team. He understands this. When you have that mentality normally it is good!”

This sounds just like Firmino. And that is why in Koumas, Liverpool have their new Firmino. Iraola's words just confirmed it.