The good news is Adam Lallana has returned to the Liverpool team. The bad news is that it is at the expense of Philippe Coutinho.
The talented Brazilian hobbled off in the 13th minute of Monday night’s trip to Watford following a clash with Adrian Mariappa.
Pictures of the 24-year-old clutching a giant, Alexis Sanchez-style, bag of ice to his right thigh will have Liverpool fans very, very worried.
With four goals in five appearances before the trip to Vicarage Road, Coutinho has been central to the late season surge that looked like taking the Reds back into the Champions League (despite loss to Crystal Palace).
With Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United all dropping points at the weekend, Jurgen Klopp’s men have their fate in their own hands.
Coutinho suffered an ankle injury in November that kept him out until the middle of January and, while Liverpool coped well without the South American, the loss of Sadio Mané for the remainder of the season means Klopp can ill afford to lose Coutinho again.
Without Coutinho and Mane, this LFC team lacks goals.
— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) May 1, 2017
https://twitter.com/Sennesation/status/859127763281874945
https://twitter.com/Thekidric1/status/859127328110243840
Without Coutinho and Mane we're basically a midtable side
— Black Carnegie 🇿🇼 (@carson_mase2) May 1, 2017
Coutinho will never enjoy an injury-free season. Just one of those players guaranteed at least a month out every year, if not more.
— Henry Jackson (@HenryJackson87) May 1, 2017
https://twitter.com/MHChehade/status/859124837876367361
But never fear, Emre Can has just banged in an absolute screamer of a bicycle kick on the stroke of half-time.
