Brendan Rodgers and Joe Allen have both praised the form of Philippe Coutinho, after the Brazilian struck his second stunning goal of the week to give Liverpool a crucial 2-1 win over Manchester City on Sunday.
Coutinho has started to add goals to his game over the last month, with Sunday’s winner following up superb strikes against Southampton and Bolton in the FA Cup.
And Allen – who enjoyed arguably his best game in a Liverpool shirt against the reigning Premier League champions – believes the 22-year-old is showing his class at exactly the right time.
“Why has he started scoring? I think it’s confidence. That’s a huge thing in football,” Allen said.
“The ability has always been there. Technically, he’s right up there.
“I think some people forget how young he is at times. He’s a young player getting better all the time.
“He’s showing that goals are part of his game. He was always on this path.
“Those of us who work with him on a daily basis, we always knew he was going to kick on and reach this kind of level.”
Brendan Rodgers has been vocal in his support of Coutinho since the turn of the year, previously claiming the Brazilian can go on to reach a similar level as former teammate Luis Suarez.
And as Suarez was, Rodgers says the playmaker is adored at Anfield.
Rodgers said: “He is playing at a football club that adores him. He’s at a very high level. I think his performances in particular since he signed his contract, he’s started to score goals.
“He’s a joy to watch. He’s a kid who’s got so much ahead of him in the game. He’s 22 years of age, people forget he came into us at 19, and he is still developing, still adapting to a new country.
“He’s a sensational footballer and now he’s starting to add the goals to mirror that quality.
“To beat Joe Hart – who I rate extremely highly – to beat him at that angle with that power, it was a phenomenal strike, as was Jordan’s.”
