Coutinho: “We Can Achieve Greatness and Win Titles”

Top four and then trophies. That's the message being delivered by Philippe Coutinho this week as Liverpool prepare to take on Bournemouth knowing that a victory will put some distance between them and Manchester United, their nearest competitor for the Champions League places.

Top four now, and then titles and silverware in the coming seasons. That's what the 24-year-old Brazilian star says he's at the club for, and if it means he plans on staying at least a few more seasons to achieve those goals, it's going to make a lot of Liverpool fans very happy to hear it.

"I think we're returning to a period where we can achieve greatness and win titles," was Coutinho's message in the matchday program. "That's the reason why I was attracted to stay here. Getting into the the Champions League is very important for the club and obviously it's our aim.

"All the games are like finals now if we are going to achieve it. There are still a lot of points available to us and we need to win as many as we can. I'm physically better and I'm feeling more confident. The team is playing well again and we have to keep working to try and get better."

Coutinho signed a new five-year deal earlier in the year, but with the young star in superb form in the autumn and now a goal away from tying the record for highest-scoring Brazilian in Premier League history, there have inevitably been rumours of Barcelona interest.

That means, perhaps, that the only thing that will truly settle the nerves of Liverpool fans will be if the summer transfer window closes and Coutinho is still at the club. Still, in the meantime it's nice at least to hear that he has his focus on Anfield success, not just this season but moving forward.

On the evidence of his last match, he's also finally fully recovered from an ankle injury suffered over the winter and back to top form, and that's very good news for a side now facing up to the likelihood that they will have to play out the rest of the season without top scorer Sadio Mané.

"My foot is definitely better," he added. "It's fully cured now. There is no more problem with it. It's just that when you are playing very well and then you are out for a bit, after your return it's not quite the same. It's naturally going to take a bit of time to return to your best levels."