Sean Fisher

Sun 2 October 2022 11:41, UK

The Mirror journalist Neil Moxley believes fingers have to be pointed at Philippe Coutinho this season with the Aston Villa star failing to justify his transfer fee.

After a hugely successful loan spell at the club last season, Coutinho made a permanent switch to Villa Park in the summer for £17million.

But the 30-year-old midfielder has failed to have the same impact this season, and his starting spot at Villa and Brazil have both become under threat.

Moxley, who is the Chief Sports Writer at The Mirror and is an expert on West Midlands football, believes Steven Gerrard has every right to point fingers at Coutinho should he face the sack,

“Coutinho, the one man upon whom Gerrard really has staked his reputation, has let him down badly,” Moxley wrote via The Mirror.

“Despite an initial flurry of excitement, the little magician has produced his own disappearing trick too many times away from B6.

“One incident that neatly summed up the situation happened earlier this season against Everton. Coutinho lost the ball to Nathan Patterson but couldn’t be bothered to track his opponent, instead he upended him – deservedly earning himself a booking. It smacked of a man who couldn’t care less.”

“It’s too harsh to call it a betrayal. But if it all ends in tears for Gerrard, Coutinho’s no-show will have played a huge part.”

Stepping up to the plate

While Coutinho may not be viewed as an outright leader in the dressing room, he needs to be one on the pitch for Aston Villa.

There’s no better manager to instil leadership than Gerrard, who so often pulled Liverpool and England teams together during his playing days.

But Coutinho seems to lack the confidence and freedom that made him such a hit at Villa Park last season. The team’s form won’t help, but it’s Coutinho that needs to help turn that around.

He remains the highest paid player at the club thanks to Gerrard’s faith in him. It’s time for him to repay that through his performances.

Coutinho is by no means the only player in poor form at Villa, but while others such as John McGinn and Ollie Watkins continue to put in the effort, the Brazilian playmaker has too often looked relaxed and careless about his performance.

With a flurry of Premier League matches coming up, Coutinho has a great opportunity to prove his critics wrong and turn things around. After all, he’s not only doing it for Villa – he needs to regain his Brazil spot before the World Cup starts in November.

In other Aston Villa news, Ashley Preece says Mauricio Pochettino would be attractive to Aston Villa like Steven Gerrard