Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists his team can deal with the absence of injured star attacker Philippe Coutinho.
The Brazil international is facing a spell on the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury during Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday.
Coutinho has made a brilliant start to the season, scoring five goals and assisting just as many in 13 league games.
But Klopp, whose team host Leeds United in the EFL Cup on Tuesday, is confident Liverpool can manage without the 24-year-old.
“Phil Coutinho is a really good football player. So if we cannot use him for the next few days or weeks, each team in the world would feel it, that’s how it is,” he said.
“But of course I can say now there is no excuse for anything. As good as he is, he cannot decide games by himself, even when it looks sometimes like this because he takes the ball, dribbles and shoots.
“But then it’s only a goal or whatever, then everybody has to defend so it’s really a team performance that we create.
“He is a very important part of this team, absolutely, but of course we can deal with it. It’s not the best thing I can imagine, that I dreamt about it and thought it was a good idea that we can show we can play without Phil.
“But it was clear that if he is not in, we have to show it and we will show it. So it’s all good from this side.”
Coutinho’s injury could lead to Klopp looking to add to his squad in the January transfer market.
But the German said it was just an option, not a certainty.
“Of course, transfers will be done or not. If we have another few injuries or not, we will see,” Klopp said.
“Maybe a few young lads now take the chance because of injuries of other players, so then we don’t think about it anymore.
“It’s not to make a transfer, it’s only if we think the team needs another player, the squad needs another player. Then I think we will do it. If not, then not.”
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