Philippe Coutinho Is Liverpool’s Best Player but They Will Cope Without Him

There are few thing in football more despairing for fans than the sight of a world-class player writhing in pain. It’s easy to tell when an injury is serious. It’s in the eyes. There’s an anguished look that reveals the true extent of the damage before any doctor can diagnose it. Philippe Coutinho had that look on Saturday.

The Liverpool playmaker left the field on a stretcher just 34 minutes into the 2-0 win over Sunderland after a challenge by Didier Ndong that saw the Brazilian’s right ankle take the full force. Coutinho underwent tests on the injury on Monday, but it’s expected that he will be ruled out of action until the new year at the earliest. 

“Phil has his scans this afternoon,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed to reporters on Monday, as per Danny Gallagher of the MailOnline. “What I can say is that it’s too long because the best thing is that he’s not out. We have to take it how it is.” The German put on a brave face, but he must surely be concerned about facing such a crucial part of the season without a player of such quality. 

Losing Coutinho for the packed winter schedule over the next two months is a blow to Liverpool. There’s a case to be made that the Brazilian has been the outstanding performer in the Premier League this season, leading the Reds in what is an unexpected, but undeniably genuine and sustained, title challenge.

They will miss him; they would rather he was available, but they will cope without him. Saturday’s win over Sunderland demonstrated that.

Coutinho is Liverpool’s best player. If there’s someone within their ranks who is good enough to one day lift a Ballon d’Or or be considered among Europe’s best, it is the 24-year-old.He has already been linked with a move to La Liga champions Barcelona this season, as per Ed Malyon of the Daily Mirror.

He is the face of Klopp’s team. But in a sense, he is dispensable.

“Phil, as good as he is, cannot decide games on his own even if it looks like that at times,” Klopp said, as per Andy Hunter of the Guardian. “He dribbles, he shoots and he is important but it is really a team performance that we have created. He’s a very important part of that but, of course, we can handle it. It’s not the best thing I can imagine or dream about, to show that we can play …

continue reading in source www.bleacherreport.com