Jamie Carragher sends Philippe Coutinho transfer warning to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp
LIVERPOOL need to replace Philippe Coutinho at Anfield, according to Reds legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher.
Posted Tuesday, March 05, 2019 by Dailystar.co.uk
The Merseyside outfit have now handed the advantage in the Premier League title race to fellow challengers Manchester City after drawing 0-0 with Everton on Sunday.
Liverpool have failed to score in two of their last three Premier League games and key man Mohamed Salah is also suffering a rare scoring drought.
Analysts are now looking for the reason why Jurgen Klopp's side have struggled in recent games.
And Carragher believes it stems from a failure to replace Philippe Coutinho after his move to Barcelona 14 months ago," he said.
"Yes, in terms of the make-up of the midfield three but it isn't just a problem now, I think that was even a problem if you go back to the end of last season when Liverpool were doing so well in the Champions League.
"There were certain games, like the final of the Champions League, where you looked at the set-up and thought that they lacked just one player.
"They lost Coutinho last January and they never replaced him.
"They tried to replace him with someone from Lyon (Nabil Fekir) but they couldn't get him.
Liverpool have been told to replace Philippe Coutinho (Pic: Getty)
Philippe Coutinho left Liverpool in 2018 (Pic: Getty)
Philippe Coutinho has struggled at Barcelona (Pic: Getty)
"Even if Liverpool win the league I still think it is a position that they need to try and fill."
And former team-mate and fellow pundit Danny Murphy agrees that Coutinho's absence is still being felt on Merseyside.
"I think if you ask Liverpool supporters if they would like that kind of player back ie. Coutinho then yes of course," he said on Match of the Day 2.
"I think it is always best to have one and they don't have one that you can hang your hat on at the moment in that role."
Coutinho continues to struggle at Barcelona after his £142m switch in January 2018.
The attacking midfielder has not settled into life at the Nou Camp and is already being linked with a shock return to England.
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