Jurgen Klopp collected Coutinho’s award for the Football Supporter’s Federation Men’s player of the Year at Melwood yesterday.
The award was voted for by over 200,000 people, with our Brazilian magician beating the likes of Dele Alli, Riyad Mahrez, Mesut Ozil, Dimitri Payet and Sergio Aguero.
In the past three years, the award’s been won by Luis Suarez, Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez, highlighting the English affection for wonderful South American attackers.
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Klopp was delighted for our no.10, who’s sadly out until the New Year with ankle ligament damage.
“Being the supporters’ player of the year is one of the biggest honours a player can get. I could not be further away from a prize like this when I was a player! It’s a really nice prize and I’m happy for him,” the German said, reported in the Daily Mail.
Kevin Miles, chief executive of the FSF added: “From Coutinho’s arrival into the Premier League he was clearly a very talented player. Since those early days he’s stepped up a level and shown a consistency befitting a player who is an integral part of a title-challenging team.”
Coutinho was our best player last season and started this campaign in breathtaking fashion, before injury cruelly struck him down last weekend against Sunderland.
We managed to win in his absence, but lost on Sunday against Bournemouth – although that was more down to our defence in all honesty.
He’s fighting to be back in time for the New Year’s Eve clash with title rivals Manchester City, and we’d love to see him back against a club he’s always scored against.
This award shows how highly rated he is by all and how crucial he is to our chances this term.