Steve Bates
Liverpool are kidding themselves if they think they can be title contenders without Coutinho
LIVERPOOL are getting a sneak preview of life without Philippe Coutinho – and it makes ugly viewing.
Uglier, in fact, than the Brazil star’s current stand-off with the Reds’ US owners Fenway Sports Group over his desire to join Barcelona.
Coutinho embodies the beautiful game – a superlative talent with razor-sharp feet matched only by his speed of thought. A deadly combination that could lead Liverpool to their Holy Grail – a first top-flight title since 1990.
Instead, dreams have been replaced by doubt. The doubt that without him Liverpool cannot get anywhere near to matching rivals with genuine title aspirations like Manchester giants City and United.
For just over 70 minutes against Crystal Palace at Anfield yesterday those fears were real and well grounded.
If an opening-day draw with Watford was not bad enough, Jurgen Klopp and a packed stadium saw an off-key Liverpool toil like a team lacking their inspirational conductor.
Bum notes galore from key performers made the Kop a nervy place until a scruffy goal from Sadio Mane got Klopp and his stars off the hook. Relief filled Anfield when Mane fired home on 73 minutes from close range after an unlucky rebound for the Eagles.
Gloss
before the transfer window closes and an £118million offer for Coutinho on the table from the Nou Camp, the end of the speculation – one way or another – cannot come quickly enough for Klopp.
While early league leaders Manchester United have started like a runaway train, Liverpool are only just chugging out of the sidings.
That was not the timetable of events for a season full of promise before Coutinho’s head was turned by a fresh challenge at one of Spain’s two super- powers. After fours years at Liverpool without a trophy who can really blame him? The answer to that is everyone in the red half of Liverpool.
Because they know, like the rest of us, that if Coutinho goes there will be a creative chasm to bridge far wider than the Mersey.
Without Coutinho and the injured Adam Lallana yesterday there was little in the way of smart-thinking invention in Liverpool’s play.
Roberto Firmino, Mane and Daniel Sturridge attempted to create a threat, but when James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum are tasked with providing the magic it is not quite the same as Coutinho pulling the strings.
In fact, it could have been a really disastrous day for Liverpool if their former striker Christian Benteke had been on his game.
The big Belgium frontman had a golden 55th-minute chance to give Palace the lead after a clever run and pull-back from Ruben Loftus-Cheek, but he skied his close-range effort horribly over the bar.
It was a miss the Eagles and their new boss Frank de Boer were left to regret after Mane scored, but despite defeat this was a less gloomy day than last week after their 3-0 opening-day mauling by newly-promoted Huddersfield.
Challenge
Palace fought hard and posed a few problems of their own, even if keeper Wayne Hennessey was t thee Eagles’ag es sta star tu turn f for a string of fine late saves which preventedpr a bigger Liverpool win. Klopp fieldedfield the inevitable Coutinho questions after the game ha had finished, insisting that thet Reds’ owners have not changed their stan stance on the wantaway Br Brazilian. And the German a dmitted t hat i n t e g r a t i n g his playmaker back into the fold on S September 1 will be a big challenge. By then, of course, Liv Liverpool’s title hopes cou could be well and truly crus crushed for another seaso season. Their next two Premier League op opponents? Arsenal and Manche Manchester City.