The top 10 best Liverpool players of the 2010s
By David Gate
No.8 – Philippe Coutinho
Philippe Coutinho may divide fans but there is no doubt that when he was on fire, this boy could play football. There is also a romantic factor around the Brazilian, the lad who was bought at a snip and sold at a song, the man who weakened the team with his departure but strengthened it when he left.
That £130.50 million financed the creation of Klopp’s unstoppable side and built the team that made one Champions League final and won the next. Players in best of lists aren’t often judged by what they allowed their side to do once they left but this is a crucial element to Coutinho’s time at Liverpool.
His disappointing spell at Barcelona might delight some, as will winning the Champions League before Phil, but it’s good to see him doing well at Bayern Munich after a tough few years.
At his best Coutinho was a driving force who could take apart any side in the Premier League. That Fab Four of him, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah were so destructive and so beautiful to watch at times.
And then there are his statistics: 201 games, 54 goals, 45 assists. What a haul.
As an attacking players, there are few better to wear the Red during the last decade and we should all count ourselves lucky that we got to witness Coutinho in full flow.
[Profile by Russell Hughes]