Coutinho In Team Of The Week (3/10/17)

Liverpool are represented in the latest Premier League team of the week that has been selected by BBC pundit Garth Crooks.

Actually Garth is now down as a 'Football Analyst' these days, a posh term for a pundit then!

The performance by Philippe Coutinho in the one all draw with Newcastle United at the weekend at St James' Park was enough to earn them a place in the side alongside the other, in the opinion of the former Spurs striker anyway, most impressive performers in the topflight over the latest weekend.

I think we'll already know ourselves, and not just based on the latest performance, why Crooks, we'll also not argue with it, selected Coutinho as part of his team but explaining his choice he told the BBC.

'What is wrong with Liverpool? The Reds should have smashed Newcastle out of sight, but instead they limp away from St James' Park with a point. Are they over-reliant on Philippe Coutinho? Since his return to first-team duties, the Brazilian attacking midfielder been absolutely wonderful. I've been banging on about Liverpool's defence for 12 months and nothing has been done about it. Jonjo Shelvey drove a ball through Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren with such ease for Newcastle's equaliser it was frightening. You could have driven a coach and horse through the gap between Liverpool's defenders, it was so wide. Coutinho is at Anfield for now following the transfer saga of the summer. But I wouldn't be in the least surprised if it were for one more season only, in a similar manner to Luis Suarez, who also eventually departed to Barcelona. However, if performances like this continue you will either burn him out or he will become disenchanted. Manager Jurgen Klopp must now fulfil his side of the bargain with Liverpool having held on to Coutinho, and ensure he has a defence worthy of playing with the Brazilian. Otherwise, what is the point of the little magician scoring breathtaking goals, if his team can't defend a lead when he does? There's no point keeping him.'

It's always good to see the club represented in this way, and well played to Coutinho for his recognition, but the most important thing about the weekend was of course the point.