Philippe Coutinho is likely to miss a fourth consecutive game for Liverpool when Jürgen Klopp’s team travel to Newcastle United on Sunday due to an on-going hamstring problem.
The Brazil international has been sidelined since the 4-1 win at Manchester City on 21 November and, despite Klopp’s hopes of including the 23-year-old at Southampton, was absent as Liverpool recorded an emphatic 6-1 victory in the Capital One Cup quarter-final. Coutinho continues to be troubled by the injury and is unlikely to be risked at St James’ Park.
“I like optimism but with Phil, we were too optimistic,” the Liverpool manager admitted. “Sometimes it happens like this. There’s nothing to criticise about this. He tried everything he could. He trained nearly normally but he doesn’t feel comfortable with it.
“We have to take care of this. The muscle is a dangerous thing when you are always on your feet, and when you don’t feel comfortable then stop. He is training. We will wait. If somebody tells me he’s available for the next game, then he plays, no problem. But yesterday nobody gave me the sign. So today we have to wait again.”
Liverpool will be without Emre Can against Steve McClaren’s struggling side because of a one-match suspension.
