Following his gruesome eye injury over the weekend, Roberto Firmino wasn't expected to be available for Liverpool's game against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.

"An abrasion of the eye" was how doctors described the 26-year-old's injury, leaving Jurgen Klopp to sweat about how to line up his attack.

In the end Firmino was made available for the game but started on the bench, with Daniel Sturridge starting upfront alongside Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

Sturridge gave Liverpool the lead in the 30th minute with a header and was eventually replaced by Firmino with 18 minutes remaining.

It looked like the game was heading for a 2-2 draw, but deep into stoppage time Firmino made room for himself to fire past goalkeeper Alphonse Areola and seal three points.

Klopp hailed Firmino's impact in his post-match interview and revealed what the Brazil striker told him on the Tuesday morning before the game.

"We had the opportunity to bring on Bobby Firmino," said Klopp. "There was no chance [of him playing] yesterday (Monday).

FIRMINO TO THE RESCUE

"Absolutely no chance today before [training] and then this morning he came in said, ‘I am fine, I can open the eye again!’ so it's good, it helps! It was good."

Firmino celebrated his last-minute winner by covering up his injured eye, which Klopp imitated in his interview.

Mane also copied the celebration and now the Senegalese has revealed what he messaged Firmino on Monday ahead of the PSG game.

In a bid to convince Firmino to play, Mane sent him a text with 12 words: "Hey Bobby, come on, we need you. You don't need your eye."

He said: "I think Bobby doesn't need his eye to play so I told him. I sent him a message on Monday saying, ‘Hey Bobby, come on, we need you'.

"You've all seen the 'no look' goals so I think he doesn't need his eye to play. I texted him saying, 'You don't need your eye'."

Well played, Sadio. Liverpool were in need of a hero when Kylian Mbappe equalised in the 83rd minute and had Firmino missed the game, one may never have come.