It's fair to say that Steven Gerrard's and Roberto Firmino's respective times in the Saudi Pro League have not been roaring success stories. But on Monday night, one Liverpool legend got the better of the other.

Gerrard, arguably the greatest player in Liverpool's history, made the move to the Gulf state in July 2023 when he was appointed manager of Al Ettifaq following stints in charge of Aston Villa and Rangers.

The 44-year-old signed fellow former Reds captain Jordan Henderson, along with with Gini Wijnaldum, and led Ettifaq to a sixth-placed finish in his first season.

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But the current campaign has proved more difficult for Gerrard. His side currently sit 11th in the standings after a 2-1 home loss to Al Ahli on Monday night and earlier in the season saw his assistant coach Dean Holden and sporting director Mark Allen sacked amid growing pressure.

Gerrard is now assisted by fellow ex-Rangers manager Michael Beale, who performed the same role when the former was in the Ibrox and Villa Park hotseats.

But after a welcome 3-0 win at Damac last Wednesday, inspired by two goals from Celtic old boy Moussa Dembele, Ettifaq suffered their seventh straight league home loss last night.

And the man doing the damage was Firmino. The Brazilian scored what proved to be the winner in the 63rd minute when he smartly volleyed home Saad Yaslam's cross to the back post.

Al-Ahli, whose victory moves them level on points with Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr in fourth, took the lead on the half-hour mark when ex-Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez teed up Gabri Veiga to score from the edge of the area.

Ettifaq did reduce the deficit in injury-time through former Liverpool Champions League winner Winjaldum, who steered in a fine finish to continue his recent goalscoring run.

It was Firmino's fourth league goal of what has been at times a testing campaign. While he remains Al-Ahli’s captain when he starts, the 33-year-old was benched six times during an eight-game run back in October.

It was a similar story for Firmino last season as he found himself benched amid a six-month scoring drought and was linked with a move away from the club both last January and in the summer.

While he has fared better on an individual basis this season, that has not stopped Firmino, who joined Al Ahli after his release from Liverpool in the summer of 2023, from supposedly being offered to other clubs. Egyptian side Zamalek are one, according to vice-president Hesham Nasr.

"Mediators offered the name of Brazilian Roberto Firmino, striker for the Saudi Al-Ahli team, to the board of directors to sign him during the current winter transfer period,” Nasr revealed to Saudi newspaper Al-Eqtisadiah. "The contract with Firmino depends on the decision of Swiss coach Christian Gross and the financial matters regarding the deal."

With the Saudi transfer window remaining open until January 30, it remains to be seen if the forward stays put. But at least on Monday he had reason to show that famous smile.