"Was just a joke that day" - Arsenal defender Rob Holding admits he simply could not cope against former Liverpool star
Arsenal defender Rob Holding was unlucky on his debut for the Gunners, as he faced a rampant Liverpool side led by Philippe Coutinho in August 2016.
Reflecting on that game, the Englishman has admitted that he was totally owned by the Brazilian playmaker.
The match in question was the Premier League opener of the 2016-17 season, with Arsenal hosting Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. Philippe Coutinho was totally unplayable, terrorisinf the Gunners' defence and scoring twice to inspire his team to a 4-3 triumph away from home.
Rob Holding still has that memory fresh in his head.
"If they'd scored I'd have run over the barriers, out of the turnstiles and all the way home." 
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π¬ "If they'd scored I'd have run over the barriers, out of the turnstiles and all the way home."
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When asked whether he's ever been rinsed by a world-class opponent, the England defender said on Sky Sports Youtube feature 'Never Have I Ever':
βProbably my Arsenal debut. We had Liverpool at home, and Coutinho was just a joke that day.β
Holding switched to the Emirates Stadium from Bolton in the summer of 2016 in a transfer worth β¬3 million.
The Englishman has spent six years with the Gunners so far, making 132 appearances across competitions and recording two goals.
Coutinho, meanwhile, left Liverpool to complete a gargantuan β¬160 million transfer to Barcelona in January 2018. However, his spell with the Blaugrana hasn't panned out as he would have hoped to as he has struggled to replicate his Liverpool exploits at the club.
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After failing to cut it at the Camp Nou, bagging just 25 goals and 14 assists in 106 games, the Brazilian left the Catalan capital last summer. He sealed a return to the Premier League, joining Aston Villa on an initial loan deal that includes a purchase option at the end of the season.
Rob Holding's stats with Arsenal this season
Rob Holding is playing a bit-part role at the Emirates Stadium at the moment, having made just 15 appearances across competitions this season. That includes nine games in the Premier League, five in the EFL Cup and one in the FA Cup.
It's also worth noting that only nine of those games were from the start, with the rest being cameo appearances. It remains to be seen if his situation changes anytime soon.