Brendan Rodgers: More to come from Philippe Coutinho

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers thinks Philippe Coutinho has all the attributes to become a playmaker similar to Real Madrid duo Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

Over the last couple of months the Brazil international, who yesterday signed a new long-term contract until the summer of 2020, has enjoyed arguably his best spell since arriving in the 2013 January transfer window.

And, while the one area he has struggled in is on the goal front — the 22-year-old has two goals and four assists this season — Rodgers is not concerned if he develops into a player like either of those currently running the midfield of the reigning European champions.

“If you look at that type of player he is, you look at Modric,” the Reds boss said.

“He doesn’t have a big goalscoring record, but he is a world-class player, a continuity player. He can make passes and put the ball in behind and he gets the odd goal from outside the box.

“He is a top-class player who can create the game who is so important in opening up doors for the team.

“Toni Kroos is another of that type; a wonderful footballer and great passer.

“They maybe don’t get as many goals for what their technique is, but their role is to sit behind the ball and create goals for others.

“Their role is not to score 20 a season. Phil’s numbers will improve, but it is not the be all and end all if he doesn’t get 20 a season.”

Rodgers believes Coutinho is now starting to take a greater responsibility in the team’s attacking endeavours.

“His game is about making and creating the goals, but as he gets more experienced he will understand better and there will be other players to make those final passes and that will allow him to penetrate further forward,” Rodgers added.

“He has a wonderful strike on him, so it will be about arriving into areas where he can make movements without the ball.

“There are areas to improve in the accuracy on his shooting; he has a wonderful move to work the space but at times you see him dragging the shot.

“At the minute I don’t have too many complaints about him as he’s pressing the game really well, he is being aggressive in hunting the ball and his two assists at the weekend were sublime.

“Hopefully in years to comethe goals will come more readily for him.”

Coutinho could find himself rested for tonight’s FA Cup fourth-round replay at Championship side Bolton as Rodgers is conscious not to burn out one of his brightest attacking talents.

The Reds travel to Macron Stadium looking to book a fifth-round tie against Premier League opponents Crystal Palace.

“It will be a tough game for us,” says Rodgers. “We have a big month coming up and we want to continue in the cup competitions as well as keeping the momentum going in the league.

“Where I need to change and rotate I will do that but the objective is still the same, to get three points or get through to the next round.

“If there are so many games it means we are in competitions and doing well.

“The players are in a really good physical condition, that is important to understand: you saw what they put into the game against West Ham after 120 minutes (against Chelsea) — we had a good aggression in our game.

“It was a comprehensive win with over 20 attempts on goal and nearly 78% possession so that shows what level the team is at physically and we will look to do the same in the Bolton game.”

Meanwhile, Bolton boss Neil Lennon had trouble convincing Andy Kellett that his loan move to Manchester United was not a wind-up.

The 21-year-old left-back’s switch from Bolton to Old Trafford for the rest of the season was the most surprising deal done on transfer deadline day.

And it was not just fans who were taken aback by the news.

Trotters boss Lennon said: “He hadn’t got a clue. He was on his way to Plymouth. He thought I was winding him up.

“It took a good five or 10 minutes. He wouldn’t believe us. We told him to ring his father and we’d tell him, and once that happened I think it started to sink in.

“It’s a great story but now he’s got to knuckle down and learn.”