Injuries have ever been the biggest threat for any player and if he is an in-form player, any untoward injury can almost ruin his dreams. Liverpool ace Philippe Coutinho is one such player who badly injured his ankle in a match against Sunderland in November after a clash with Black Cats’ midfielder Didier Ndong that left him sidelined with ankle ligament. Later, he only made a cameo appearance from the bench in Liverpool’s 1-0 EFL Cup loss to Southampton midweek and then Coutinho feared it was the end of his season but after his early recovery he thanked Reds’ medical staff who worked indefatigably to get him back to full fitness just in the right time before Sunday’s grudge match with Manchester United. Yet, it still depends upon the manager Jurgen Klopp whether he would like to play his 24-year-old midfielder or offer him more time to heal out of injury completely.
Factually, Coutinho did not play for nine games for Liverpool that almost made him a surplus asset since team is doing well with a comfortable third position on the board and if they could win the Old Trafford game they can easily challenge Chelsea residing on the second position on the board. Talking about his early recovery and if he would get a chance to make a comeback in the side, Brazilian said, “It would be special to play at Old Trafford but it is down to the coach and he always makes the best choice for the success of the team.
“Just to be back is a dream. The blow to my ankle was really hard and initially I thought I would be out for the rest of the season. There were lot of nerves because I honestly thought my season was finished. But luckily I have recovered without problems. In the end the medical tests were more positive and the physios have worked very hard with me, so I am really grateful to them. I am gaining more and more confident every day and just need more minutes to get back to my top level on the field.
“I think Liverpool is playing at a very good level. Yes, Chelsea is the leader at the moment but we certainly have a chance to fight for the title and that’s a big motivation against Manchester United. We know this match is not simply a match. The rivalry between the teams is enormous and it means even more than three points to everyone. But I think we are ready. Every match is like a final for us this season — but that’s life at a super-club like ours. My dream now is to win the trophy even though we know it won’t be easy — and of course to avoid any more injuries. I hope that is the last negative experience I have this season.”
Philippe Coutinho: Christian Bertrand / Shutterstock, Inc.