No Reds return for Philippe Coutinho against Manchester City

08 September 2017 13:24

Philippe Coutinho will not be in the Liverpool team for Saturday's Premier League match against Manchester City.

Reds manager Jurgen Klopp said the Brazil international - who was linked with a move to Barcelona following the departure of his compatriot Neymar to Paris St Germain - was in "a good mood" after returning to Merseyside following international duty.

However, the German said the playmaker would not feature against City.

Klopp said: "We have got all the numbers (on Coutinho) from the Brazilian FA - the training, the intensity of the training, stuff like that, and it was all okay. And he played twice - I think about 15 or 20 minutes.

"He could have played 15, 20 minutes again in the City game, maybe longer, but I think really it makes sense (to leave him out).

"He agreed completely, so it was not as if he said 'no, I don't need training, I want to play'. It was a good conversation."

Source: PA