"I have had a lot of messages from Liverpool fans" - £17 million Aston Villa star eager to 'finish well' against Manchester City
Aston Villa midfielder Philippe Coutinho has admitted to having received a lot of messages from fans of his former team Liverpool ahead of the Premier League's final matchday.
Steven Gerrard's Villa are in action on Sunday night at the Etihad against holders Manchester City, who will be crowned champions once more with a win.
The Reds, who are just a point behind City in the table, host Wolverhampton Wanderers at the same time, knowing that destiny isn't in their hands anymore and need their rivals to slip up somehow.
If someone had said at the start of the season that Liverpool's title hopes on the final day rested with Steven Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho 🤯 https://t.co/RIQJgTC6Sh
Liverpool fans have turned to one of their former talismen, Coutinho, to do them a favor by helping Villa halt City, in which case the Premier League trophy will go to Anfield instead.
He told The Daily Mail (via HITC):
“It’s a great game to play. But we want to finish well against a great club. And that’s it. We always want to improve and do well and finish as high as we can. I only care about my new club. I want to play well for them. I have had a lot of messages from Liverpool fans on social media but I don’t look at it that much anyway. My focus is only on the games we have.”
Coutinho left Merseyside for Barcelona in January 2018 for €160 million but failed to live up to his price tag and returned to the Premier League with Aston Villa on loan earlier this year.
With a decent return of four goals and three assists in the league since then, the club decided to make the Brazilian's stay permanent for a fee reported to be around £17 million.
However, the midfielder has witnessed a steep decline in form lately, failing to bag a goal or an assist in any of his last 10 top-flight appearances.
Could Liverpool fall short in the league once again?
Liverpool lost the Premier League title to Manchester City by just a point in the 2018-19 season and it looks like history is set to repeat itself this term.
The 2021/22 Premier League season is the first in the competition's history where it is mathematically possible for each position to change going into the final day.
Race for Top 4
Fight to Avoid Relegation
What a day for PL football!
🏆⚽️ The 2021/22 Premier League season is the first in the competition's history where it is mathematically possible for each position to change going into the final day.
[@OptaJoe]
🏆 The Title Race
🌍 Race for Top 4
❌ Fight to Avoid Relegation
💪 What a day for PL football! https://t.co/9o7nJPBLJr
The Reds, whose only success in the competition came in the 2019-20 campaign, will be aware that Aston Villa might struggle against Pep Guardiola's menacing side, not least of all at the Etihad.
It would be one of the greatest final day twists if it goes the other way, but the chances do not appear promising. For now, a sixth Premier League crown beckons City, which would also be their fourth league title in the last five years.