Boss: Everybody can benefit from Coutinho return - not just Firmino
Jürgen Klopp believes Philippe Coutinho's return to action after overcoming an ankle injury can help boost the performance level of every Liverpool player.
But the manager rejected suggestions that Roberto Firmino has particularly struggled in the absence of his fellow Brazilian.
The No.11 has scored just once in the 10 games since Coutinho was stretchered from the field in the early stages of a 2-0 win over Sunderland at Anfield in November.
However, the boss says his use of Firmino as a wide-man in the absence of Sadio Mane, and a packed festive schedule, have contributed to a recent lack of goals from the attacker, rather than his compatriot's lay-off.
When asked about the situation, Klopp replied: "I don’t know exactly but I don't think so.
"We have a few players who played nearly every [game]. It was really hard until now and it will stay pretty hard for us, that's how it is.
"Roberto, of course, had a few moments where he lost this ball or this ball, maybe didn't score in this situation, or whatever. But he doesn't depend on any other player.
"It helps the whole team when Phil is in, 100 per cent. But they like each other, of course, and everybody can benefit from Phil's skills, and the other way round it's the same.
"Roberto is really in good shape and, for an offensive player, it's always important that you score. He played for us more on the wing because Sadio is not here and all that stuff, that changes things a little bit, but not too much.
"He's often enough in the right areas and he had the pass from Phil in the United game and that was one of the best first contacts in a game I ever saw, actually.
"Unfortunately, [the chance] was not too easy, as I saw after the game. It's good for all of us that he's back, but Roberto is still in good shape."
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Coutinho and Firmino have previously shown almost telepathic levels of understanding on the pitch, combining to devastating effect to cut through defences at will.
But it is the fact that the pair don't just look for each other when picking out passes that makes their partnership satisfying for Klopp.
"The most important thing is that they don't only play together, with each other, because that makes it predictable," he added.
"Good friends looking for each other - it's not like this. They are really footballers, they don't care, and that's what I really like.
"If Roberto is in the best position, Phil gives him the ball, if not, somebody else gets it. That's a real partnership. Doing always the same thing, even when it's good, is not the right thing, so you have to mix up all these things.
"Good understanding in the team helps a lot but thank God they have a good understanding with all their teammates and not just each other."
Klopp went on to enthuse further about Coutinho's comeback, describing the Brazil international as an 'important' member of his squad.
"You saw it already in the few minutes he had in the last games now," he continued.
"I was actually happy about the opportunity at Plymouth, that we could give him this 60-something minutes.
"It was really good for him, for us, to get kind of a rhythm, because even Phil Coutinho cannot be back on the pitch and immediately [be] at 100 per cent, that's actually not really possible.
"[He's] very important for us and I'm happy about this fact. It's not 150 [per cent] good news in the last few days, but that is one of the best for sure."