Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Coutinho no loss for ’Pool
ALEX Oxlade-Chamberlain is confident Liverpool are well-equipped f or life without Philippe Coutinho, insisting it is “business as usual” at Anfield.
The Brazil playmaker, who contributed 12 goals this season, completed his dream £142 million move to Barcelona on Monday to leave a significant hole in Jurgen Klopp’s side.
H o w e v e r, O x l a d e - Chamberlain, who experienced key personnel like Robin van Persie leave when he was at Arsenal, believes he and the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino can help fill the void without too much disruption.
And the first chance to prove that is at home to runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City on Sunday.
“I haven’t really even thought about Phil leaving,” he said.
“You realise it happens but you can’t star t thinking ‘ What are we going to do now that Phil is not here?’
“It can’t be that at all. It’s business as usual.
“When Phil wasn’t in the team we still played great football and we have still amazing players who can score goals — the likes of Mo (Salah), Sadio and Roberto.
“The fact is he has gone now and we have to think ‘What have we got that is going to get the j ob done?’.
“I have every faith in the boys that we just move on now. I don’t think it should affect us at all.
“When a big player leaves, a big player leaves. You’re at a big club like Liverpool, another big player will come i n the future.”