coutinho played for porto before liverpool.
coutinho played for porto before liverpool.
what team did coutinho play for before liverpool?
porto
on 26 january 2013, premier league club liverpool agreed an £8.5 million transfer fee with inter milan for coutinho, pending a medical exam and a work permit from the home office. southampton had also expressed an interest in coutinho, who had played under southampton manager mauricio pochettino at espanyol, but coutinho said he would prefer to join liverpool. on 30 january, liverpool confirmed the signing of coutinho on a long-term contract after he was successful in his work permit application, and was given the number 10 shirt. former director of football at liverpool damien comolli later revealed liverpool had scouted and ultimately signed coutinho following a recommendation by then-inter milan manager and former liverpool manager rafael benítez, who described the brazilian as "world class".
philippe coutinho
liverpool opened a busy december with a game at the amex against brighton & hove albion on 2 december. two goals within a minute of each other, first from can (who was playing at centre back) then firmino, gave liverpool a 0–2 lead and they finished the game winning 1–5 thanks to additional goals from firmino, coutinho, and a dunk own goal. brighton's only goal came from glenn murray who scored from the penalty spot. the next game was the final game of the champions league group stage, a home bout against spartak moscow on 6 december.liverpool needed a result to make it to the next round so tensions were running high at anfield. however, the reds dispatched spartak 7–0, with goals coming from firmino, salah, a double from mane and a hat trick for coutinho and finished the group at the top. the next fixture was the first league installment of the season of the merseyside derby against crosstown rivals everton on 10 december at anfield. liverpool maintained control throughout the first half and salah's curling effort in the 42nd minute gave liverpool the lead. liverpool continued to dominate but a dubious penalty decision against lovren saw wayne rooney converted a penalty in the 77th to tie the game at 1–1 where it finished. klopp said following the game about the controversial penalty incident, "in my understanding, it's not a penalty." the next game was yet another held at anfield where liverpool hosted west brom on 13 december. the game was a 0–0 stalemate against west brom at anfield, with the most notable event being an 82nd minute solanke goal was disallowed for a handball drawing conversation on whether or not the correct call was made. on 17 december at the vitality stadium, liverpool took on bournemouth. the reds bounced back in the next game winning 0–4 with goals from coutinho, lovren, and salah before the half, and firmino after. the next game was against arsenal at the emirates on 22 december. in an exciting affair, liverpool went 0–2 up through coutinho in the 26th and salah in the 52nd minute, but arsenal took the lead with three goals in five minutes through goals from alexis sánchez, granit xhaka (on a long shot in which goalie mignolet was heavily criticized for not doing better) and mesut özil. the reds evened the score at 3–3 with a 71st-minute goal from firmino giving the team their 8th league draw in 19 games, at the time the second most in the league. liverpool then returned to anfield for their boxing day fixture against bottom-place swansea city. coutinho gave the liverpool early in the first half and the game stood at 1–0 at half, but with a goal from firmino in the 52nd, one from alexander-arnold in the 65th, another from firmino in the 66th, and a capper from oxlade-chamberlain in the 82nd gave the reds a 5–0 victory. on 27 december, ahead of the new year, liverpool also welcomed the news of long-term target virgil van dijk, signed for a generally reported fee going up to £75 million. with their new signing in attendance, liverpool played their final match of the calendar year on 30 december against leicester at anfield. vardy gave the foxes a 0–1 lead in the 3rd where it stood until the 52nd with a salah equalizer. salah scored again in the 76th giving liverpool a 2–1 victory and ensuring the reds would end 2017 in the top four.
2017–18 liverpool f.c. season