:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/22516627/186637908.0.jpg)
Not a whole lot went right on Saturday when Liverpool faced Arsenal. One thing that at least wasn't completely terrible, though, was the return of Philippe Coutinho, as the diminutive midfielder came on in the second half and boosted Liverpool's game. It was something most fans latched on to as one of the few positives in a match without many, and defender Kolo Toure was of a mind to do the same.
"In the first half we couldn’t keep the ball well enough and we spent too much energy running after it, but in the second half when Coutinho came on the game changed," was Toure's response when asked by the Liverpool Echo to find a few positives in Saturday's loss. "We were much better and created some chances but we couldn’t take them."
Not only does Toure point to Coutinho's return for the slight improvement in Liverpool's game early in the second half—he also thinks Coutinho might just be the club's best player. While most look at the club's deadly striker duo as key to Liverpool's chances, since arriving in the summer Toure has become convinced it is in fact Coutinho who is set to be the club's new talisman.
"I call Coutinho ‘my player,’" he said. "I think he’s amazing and can make the difference in matches. This season he’s been out injured but now he’s back he’s going to be amazing for us. I really like him. He’s my [pick for our] best player. In training he’s one of the hardest to mark. He’s still young but he’s got that magic."
And while Toure was bullish on Coutinho, when it comes to reading things into Saturday's loss, the defender was of a far more cautious mind. Saturday may not have been good for Liverpool, but the club still find themselves well positioned for a strong season and with a long way to go before it's over.
"We should have done better with the goals we conceded but we will learn from this game," he admitted. "You have to give Arsenal credit as they played very well but we kept going right until the end. The season is very long and it’s only November. Every team is still fighting for the title and we’ll continue working hard."