Super Sturridge ‘good enough to play for Brazil’
THEY are the dynamic duo driving Liverpool’s confident start to the season, one providing dazzling skills, the other delivering lethal finishes.
Great double acts litter Anfield’s history, from Roger Hunt and Ian St John in the 1960s to, more recently, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, and the way Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge have clicked since arriving at the club in January suggests they can keep up the rich tradition.
Few players have made a better impact in the fledgling stages of this campaign than Sturridge, who is rapidly establishing himself as England’s top striker. He is a match- winner, the reason Liverpool won their opening league games against Stoke and Aston Villa and dispatched Notts County in the League Cup.
The influence Coutinho has had, though, should not be underestimated. All clever movement and deft passing, the young man from Rio de Janeiro plays with the spirit and freedom you would associate with someone who grew up on the Copacabana. With each game, he is making his £8.5million transfer fee look a bargain.
If Liverpool are to maintain their perfect record, then, when they lock horns with Manchester United tomorrow, much responsibility will rest on the slender shoulders of Coutinho and the sharpshooting of Sturridge, a striker whom his partner in crime believes would not look out of place in the famous yellow of Brazil.
‘Daniel is scoring quite a few goals and, hopefully, he will help us in this match,’ says Coutinho. ‘That’s what we want. He is an excellent footballer. He’s always making his runs at the right time and sometimes he teaches me a few phrases on the pitch in English.
‘He helps us combine and that’s the good thing about the relationship we have. He’s fantastic to play with. Could he play for Brazil? Of course. He’s similar to a Brazilian player in his style because he’s quick with the ball at his feet. He also scores a lot of goals.
‘We’re always joking and I’m always telling him he needs to learn Spanish! He’s a fantastic guy.’
As Sturridge arrived at Liverpool in the New Year with something to prove having left Manchester City and Chelsea, the same, perhaps, was true of Coutinho, who had struggled with Inter Milan and spent a year on loan with Espanyol.
That he has acclimatised so quickly, becoming a huge favourite on the Kop — at one stage in the summer his No 10 shirt was the best seller in the club shop — speaks volumes for his robust character. He moved to Italy when he was only 18, having played for Vasco de Gama at 16.
Three major switches in such a short period could have a dizzying effect but Coutinho, now 21, and his wife, Aine, have settled into a new life without fuss. That, in turn, has enabled him to thrive in red.
‘I enjoy it here more than Italy because you have to think quicker and the pace of the game is faster,’ he explains. ‘I’m well aware the fixture Liverpool versus Manchester United creates legends.
‘I know how important it is to the supporters and throughout the week I’ve been doing everything I can to prepare myself mentally so I perform well. But what matters is if we win we will have nine points from three games.
‘ I’m aware it’s only the start of the season but to have such a good position is important.’
If it is important for Coutinho to deliver, the same is true of Liverpool. Since losing at Old Trafford in January, they have outperformed their fiercest rivals over 18 games — they have 11 wins to United’s 10 — but it will mean nothing if they come up short.
Manager Brendan Rodgers recognises the psychological ramifications of an Anfield victory, saying: ‘If you can beat one of your rivals early on it gives you more belief.’
Meanwhile, Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has explained why the club took such a hard stance with Luis Suarez during the striker’s attempts to move away.
Werner said: ‘ We said to Luis, “You are important to the success of the club and we have to do what’s in the best interest of Liverpool”.
‘We said, “You may be frustrated you are not in the Champions League this year but we need you and expect you to be professional”. As the window nears its end it would be even more difficult to replace Luis.’