MEAN, MOODY MAGNIFICENT
Magical Coutinho revives the spirit of Suarez with his swaggering arrogance as he ran the game single-handedly..and then showed his frustration at boss Klopp for being taken off
WHAT makes a great player? Talent, sure; mental strength too. Desire. All good answers.
Yet it is that indefinable quality of belief, arrogance in a sense, that perhaps makes the biggest difference. This was the ingredient Luis Suarez added while at Anfield, to elevate him from a top player into a truly great one. With him, there was a moment against Everton where Suarez confirmed that special quality, when he was accused of diving by David Moyes... and celebrated an inevitable goal in the derby by diving at the feet of the Blues’ manager. Now that is belief.
On Saturday, we may have just witnessed another of those moments, in another seminal game between the Mersey enemies, a pivotal moment when a very good player takes a step up towards a higher level.
It was Philippe Coutinho of course. His performance alone was something we’ve not quite seen from the Brazilian in a Liverpool shirt before; an ability and determination to take the game by the throat and squeeze the life out of his opponents.
Coutinho has produced many moments of brilliance in a red shirt, but few sustained matches of imperious control as he did here. Yet it wasn’t even the performance which was potentially careertransforming, as impressive as it was in showing he is finally ready to dictate games. No. The most telling contribution came in the 73rd minute, after he’d taken Everton apart with a Samba slalom and genius finish, and then created a third goal for Divock Origi.
It came as his number was raised to haul him from the fray. Coutinho is used to being subbed and usually trots willingly to the line. Not here. He shot a death stare towards his manager, violently shook his head at Jurgen Klopp, lowered his glare and avoided any form of trademark Klopp embrace.
That anger and defiance spoke volumes. He knew we was conducting Liverpool’s symphony, and was destroying Everton. He knew he was the best player and could have added further punishment.
For once, he was prepared to say it...the quiet, unassuming little midfielder finally finding his arrogance.
Afterwards, even Klopp was inclined to suggest it was an important moment – a star accused so often of being too passive, too timid, showing fire and fight. The German said: “His reaction was positive, yes. Everyone could see he was upset at coming off.
“He could have carried on making a difference with his genius passing and his speed. “But we really need him and 70 minutes was absolutely enough after his trip and playing the games for Brazil.
“I am happy, happy, happy though. It was a fantastic game from him, absolutely fantastic, in offensive and defensive.” It could be the game where Coutinho put up his hand to be Liverpool’s next talisman, to follow the path to the highest level Suarez plotted at Anfield.
It could be required too, with Sadio Mane limping off, and certain to miss Wednesday’s game with Bournemouth, even if the winger later said he was okay.
Mane had started the party, scoring an equally fine individual goal, and even after Everton briefly exploited Liverpool’s discomfort with zonal marking to allow Matthew Pennington to score his first goal for the club from a set-piece, the home side were still in control.
While the quiet man Coutinho may have come of age, the same can not be said of Everton’s glittering duo of Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley. Both seem to be angling for moves in the summer, but there seemed little evidence of the viability of that.
Indeed, if a top club were to create a shopping list from this game, Coutinho would top it, closely followed by the excellent Roberto Firmino.
Blues’ boss Ronald Koeman said: “It is hard to go into a game like this with so many young players, but they all showed great belief and confidence.
“We have to look to bring these players through. It’s really bright for the Everton’s future.”