Coutinho: I wanted to be involved - and I want to keep going
Philippe Coutinho earned the reward for his determination to overcome illness and be involved in Liverpool's Premier League meeting with Stoke City on Saturday.
The No.10 was sidelined in the days leading up to the clash at the bet365 Stadium and lost three kilograms in weight, having been withdrawn in the second half of the midweek draw at home to Bournemouth.
He recovered in time to be a substitute against Stoke and was sent on after the interval by Jürgen Klopp – alongside compatriot Roberto Firmino – with the Reds trailing 1-0.
The pair made an immediate impact on the flow of the game and it was Coutinho who calmly found the bottom left corner to equalise on 69 minutes, before Firmino lashed in the winner via a stunning blast.
After the final whistle, the Brazil international explained why he simply did not want to miss the match and how the Reds have to keep up that performance level in their remaining six fixtures.
“I wanted to be involved with the team,” said the 24-year-old, who has now scored in each of his past three appearances and became the most prolific Brazilian in Premier League history on Saturday.
“I want to keep going, to keep scoring and helping my team, and keep learning from my manager. This was a big win. There are a lot of points to fight for and every game for us is important.
“It wasn’t just about Roberto and me. The team played well [in the second half], we created more chances and then we scored the goals. I think the team played well, not just individuals.”