"Some of his work tonight was beautiful" -Aston Villa boss Steven Gerard heaps praise on Philippe Coutinho for performance against Leeds
Aston Villa manager Steven Gerard has lauded Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho for his impressive performance against Leeds United in the Premier League on Wednesday. Coutinho joined Aston Villa on loan from Barcelona until the end of the ongoing season during the recently concluded January transfer window.
Daniel James scored the opening goal of the game for Leeds United in only the ninth minute. But Coutinho hit back and scored an impressive goal to equalize for Aston Villa in the 30th minute. The 29-year-old then provided two assists to 20-year-old sensation Jacob Ramsey, who converted both chances to give Aston Villa a 3-1 lead.
James scored his second goal of the night to cut Villa's lead to one goal. Diego Llorente scored the equalizer for Leeds midway through the second half, helping his side claim a 3-3 draw. Despite the disappointing final result, Steven Gerrard was pleased with his side's performance and was delighted with Philippe Coutinho's display. The former Rangers boss believes the Barcelona loanee 'is still not yet at his best'.
"Phil is not at his physical best. He still needs more game time and training, which he didn't get much of before. But he has settled in really well. The support staff have played their part and the players have played their part," said Gerrard in a post-match press conference.
"He seems happy. We have given him the stage to enjoy his football again and I think if you look at his performance tonight, his skills, awareness and vision, if you don't love watching that you should stop watching football. Some of his work tonight was beautiful."
Philippe Coutinho was on the fringes of Barcelona's squad prior to his loan move to Aston Villa in January. The Brazilian made 16 appearances for the Catalan giants in all competitions this season and managed to score just two goals.
Coutinho has scored two goals and provided two assists in just three games for Aston Villa since joining Steven Gerrard's side. The midfielder will be keen to resurrect his career and boost his chances of being a part of Brazil's squad for the 2022 World Cup.
#AVFC @villareport
Steven Gerrard, loving Coutinho: “If you don't like watching Philippe Coutinho then you should stop watching football because that (performance) was absolutely beautiful”. ⭐️🇧🇷 #AVFC @villareport
…and there’s a buy option available for €40m in June. https://t.co/wXYIjRbtdl
Philippe Coutinho's performances for Aston Villa are likely to provide a huge boost to Barcelona
Philippe Coutinho joined Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018 in a deal worth a reported €160 million. The Brazilian failed to reach the heights expected of him during his first couple of seasons with the Catalan giants.
He was sent out on loan to Bayern Munich during the 2019-20 season. Coutinho helped the Bundesliga giants win the treble and scored 11 goals in 38 appearances for Bayern Munich. The club, however, decided against exercising their option to sign him permanently at the end of his loan spell.
Philippe Coutinho is the first Aston Villa player since 2004 to score in his first two Premier League home matches with the club ✨ https://t.co/EdOD7afiGY
Coutinho's 2020-21 campaign was ravaged by injuries. He made just 14 appearances in all competitions for the La Liga side last season.
Barcelona were desperate to part ways with the Brazilian and free themselves of his massive salary. The 29-year-old was one of Barcelona's highest earners, reportedly taking home over €350,000 per week.
His impressive performances for Aston Villa could lead to a permanent move to Steven Gerrard's side next summer. That could likely provide a massive boost to Barcelona as the Catalan giants are keen to sell the player permanently.