The Liverpool coach insists that he is unlikely to rush in the young Brazillian into the Liverpool starting XI following his arrival from Inter in January for €10 million

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes that the arrival of Philippe Coutinho will add valuable competition for places at the Merseyside club.

The Brazillian youngster arrived from Inter for a reported £8.5 million fee late in the January transfer window but he has only just been able to begin training with the Reds.

Rodgers was keen to praise the form of the players that have collected draws against Arsenal and Manchester City but hoped that the likes of Coutinho would press them for their positions in the starting XI.

“He’s a top young player with big experiences and bringing him into the group adds that competition,” Rodgers told reporters ahead of Liverpool’s Monday night clash against West Brom.

“There’s no doubt that the team who have been involved in the last couple of games have been exceptional but it’s very important that we’ve got players in the side who are fighting to get into the team.”

The club’s other high profile signing in January, Daniel Sturridge, made his debut in the FA Cup only a few days after being signed from fellow Premier League club Chelsea, but Rodgers insists he will not rush Coutinho after a recent injury.

“He’s a young player I’ve got very high hopes for but Daniel was ready to come in and play – we’ll see how young Philippe goes,” he added.

“He was with the medical team with Milan and he has come here and we have assessed where he is in terms of his fitness.

“He trained with the group on Friday and we’ll observe him and see where he’s at but competition for places is what we want, that was the whole idea of bringing him in.

“The key for us has always been to build a competitive squad that would enable us to challenge. That will keep us going and allowing us to develop.”

The 35-year-old centre-back has decided to retire at the end of the current season but the Reds’ skipper had hoped that the Anfield legend would stay for at least another 12 months

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard admits that he had wanted Jamie Carragher to play on for at least one more year before retirement.

The 35-year-old centre-back announced his decision to call an end to his Anfield career on Thursday, the one-club man having made 723 appearances so far – second only to Ian Callaghan – for the five-time European Cup winners.

And while Gerrard is sorry to see his team-mate and friend call time on his playing career, the 32-year-old midfielder has hailed Carragher as the club’s best ever defender.

“I’ve known a little bit longer than other people,” he told the club’s official website. “I’ve tried just as hard as everyone else to try to keep him going for a bit longer. He’s basically taken no notice of what I said because I was trying for him to push on for another year.

“But we have to respect his decision. He’s had a fantastic career and he feels it’s the right time to go out, at the end of the season. Hopefully there are still some big performances left in him before he goes.

“I could go on for a long time about him. People mention him alongside the likes of [Alan] Hansen and [Mark] Lawrenson, the best defenders that this club has ever had.

“For me, if he’s not alongside them he’s a little bit above them. That’s the biggest compliment I can pay him. He’s a wonderful player – at his peak, for two or three seasons he was one of the best defenders in the world.

“At times this season it has been difficult for him, not being a regular starter – because he has been a starter since he made his debut. I can respect and understand his decision; we’re all going to come to that moment in our careers.

“Everyone knows what we’re going to miss on the playing side. Since I made my debut Jamie has been alongside me in the dressing room and been a close mate of mine. It’s going to be different and no-one is going to miss Jamie more than me.”

While the Anfield captain may miss Carragher on a personal level, he believes that the club will also be losing a player who can still have a huge impact on results week in, week out.

“You’ve seen in his last couple of performances against Arsenal and Manchester City, he has brought leadership into the back four,” Gerrard added.

“He organises, he’s a big voice and he’s played very well. His last two performances have typified his career. He has come back in, hasn’t played much of late and has been one of our best players.”

The 21-year-old is no one-man team but his fitness must be carefully managed if Arsenal are to bridge the gap on Tottenham and Chelsea to qualify for next year’s Champions League

ANALYSIS
By George Ankers

After his performance for England against Brazil, dominating the game’s most traditional of powers, the impression was confirmed that Jack Wilshere is back at the level he was before his long string of injuries. His showing against Sunderland on Saturday only underlined it.

Now the 21-year-old finds himself as potentially the most important pugilist in the brawl for a top-four finish.

Arsenal have perfected in recent years a metronomic knack for scraping fourth despite all their travails throughout the season. Four points behind Tottenham with 12 games each left to play, they could well do so again. But they will need Wilshere to do it.

All three of the most likely contenders for the final two Champions League qualification spots won on Saturday but each showed their vulnerability, too. It was the Gunners who had their hearts most in their mouths, though, when their midfield star was forced off with an injury.

Arsene Wenger played down fears about Wilshere’s knock, suggesting that he will only be out for “four or five days” after limping off the Stadium of Light pitch, but keeping the youngster safe is now priority No.1. England boss Roy Hodgson admitted his attempts to hide the central midfielder from pressure before the midweek friendly but the Arsenal manager is more worried about burnout.

The consistency of Wilshere’s influence, next to the likes of Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott who have the quality but do not let it show in every game, makes him hard to drop. But he must be managed carefully so wins must be wrapped up quickly enough to give him a rest to avoid recurrences of his past injuries or see new ones suffered.

With the 21-year-old making the play from the No.10 position, passing with accuracy and assurance, Arsenal have it in them to unlock any Premier League defence. They are not a one-man team but they look a less confident outfit without him; there is less spring in their step and less bite in their attacks.

It is a similar scenario at White Hart Lane, which is precisely why Arsenal can catch Tottenham if their best players stay fit. Gareth Bale was not at his best for the visit of Newcastle, going long periods without doing a great deal of anything, but when given a sniff of a chance made the difference.

The Welshman is neither as far away from Cristiano Ronaldo’s level as he says nor as close to it as some broadcasters would have you believe – but Spurs have an extra dimension when he is on the pitch. When James Perch caught his leg in the follow-through of an otherwise acceptable tackle, necessitating treatment, both sides of north London understood the fragility of having a key player.

If both Bale and Wilshere are kept fit and firing, however, then it could be Chelsea who break.

The comprehensive 4-1 scoreline of their win over Wigan flattered them somewhat, with Shaun Maloney’s quickfire response to the second a reminder of their struggles. In Rafa Benitez’s faltering interim reign, such a goal from the Latics prompted uh-ohs from Blues fans. It would not have been the first such lead dropped.

Fernando Torres troubled Ali Al Habsi often enough but the persistence with him is a weakness, not a virtue. It is as simple now as the fact that Demba Ba must start up front if he is fit; anything less is a needless risk to a top-four place which had looked secure for Chelsea not many months ago.

Merseyside, of course, could yet have a say in the top-four reckoning. Liverpool are very much outsiders, with the Europa League still to distract them and an unlikely points gap, but the form that they showed against Manchester City would trouble anyone.

Everton are closer still, only six points behind Tottenham before Sunday’s clash with Manchester United.

David Moyes’s side have already proved their credentials by beating the Red Devils on the opening Monday of the season, as well as Spurs – do not count them out despite the excess of draws. Even if they do not qualify for the Champions League outright, they will still have a massive say in who does, with fixtures against all four of Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool still to play.

The table, though, tells the best truths and, being closer to it than the Merseysiders, Arsenal have the best hope of breaking back into the top four. Twelve games, four points: It can be done – but they need all hands on deck, Wilshere more than most. Expect a lot of crossed fingers in north London between now and May.

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