Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers praised Philippe Coutinho, saying it is "frightening" to consider the player's current value after the Brazilian scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Manchester City.
The win kept Liverpool within reach of the Premier League top four and diminished Manchester City's hopes of retaining their title, leaving them five points behind Chelsea with one more game played.
Coutinho's goal, which came 15 minutes from time, highlighted his personal growth as a player. The 22-year-old, who joined Liverpool from Inter Milan in 2013 for £8.5 million, recently signed a new five-year contract and has begun to add goals to his game, as requested by Rodgers.
Rodgers expressed satisfaction with the victory, especially considering the team's late return from Turkey after being eliminated from the Europa League by Besiktas. "It was a brilliant result and an equally brilliant performance," Rodgers said. "We thoroughly deserved it, the players were relentless. It was very pleasing."
Regarding Coutinho, Rodgers noted, "He is a player that has always assisted and made the final pass, he’s a very selfless player, he’s a very humble guy. There are improvements he can make, he is playing at a football club who adores him and loves it here."
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini refused to concede the title race, stating, "It is not over. You never know in football." Despite the loss, Pellegrini emphasized the importance of continuing to play well and analyzing areas for improvement.
- Jordan Henderson opened the scoring in the 10th minute, with Edin Dzeko equalizing 16 minutes later.
- Coutinho's winner ensured Liverpool remained in the chase for a top-four spot.
Rodgers and Pellegrini both acknowledged the significance of the match but focused on upcoming games, with Rodgers aiming to finish as high as possible and Pellegrini seeking to regain normal performance levels.
The recovered account cited reporting by Capital FM.
