Call it fate or good fortune, but ever since Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho completed his ã142 million move to Barcelona, Liverpool looked to be just fine without him
Ex-England 'keeper David James yesterday. Pic/Sameer Markande
Call it fate or good fortune, but ever since Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho completed his £142 million move to Barcelona, Liverpool looked to be just fine without him. While some pundits argued that the move might backfire on the Reds, others felt that manager Jurgen Klopp may have just rolled the dice with the much-hyped sale. Former England and Liverpool goalkeeper David James supports the latter and is happy that the Kops are on a mid-season surge.
'Financially rewarding'
"It's encouraging, but as a Liverpool fan you want to see a season and not a mid-season surge. Losing Coutinho was probably good. Financially, they got rewarded for it and that also means that there is a different balance, which is better in the team now. I am already looking at the 2018-19 season, which will be Liverpool's year to win the league," James, who donned the 'keeper's gloves at Anfield from 1992-99, said on the sidelines of The National Inclusion Cup, a slum soccer event, at Andheri yesterday.
Philippe Coutinho
Currently placed third in the English Premier League table with 54 points from 27 games, Liverpool's hopes of clinching their 19th EPL title are almost buried. However, James reckoned all is not lost for the Reds in the Champions League. Liverpool took a giant step towards the quarters as they hammered FC Porto 5-0 in the first leg this month.
Europe now, the only hope
"Realistically, Man City will have to do something very drastic to lose the EPL. Liverpool's best chance at the moment of doing something superb would be the Champions League, but given the quality of teams still there, it is a tough ask," he added.
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