PHILL THOMPSON: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFICATION KEY TO KEEP COUTINHO

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According to Phill Thompson if Liverpool can manage to book their spot in the Champions league then they can hold on to Coutinho.

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Today Liverpool will play their Champions league play offs first leg game against Hoffenheim, in their first match on EPL Liverpool, drew their first match against Watford, because of their defensive issue they concede late goals against Watford.

Coutinho will miss their Champions League qualification match against Hoffenheim because of his back injury and the football pundit believes that Coutinho will definitely stay with the Reds if Liverpool past Hoffenheim bumper.

Thompson said: "I think the outcome of the playoff could have a knock-on to Coutinho; if things go pear-shaped then has a pretty good excuse to say, 'Let me go, I want to play in the Champions League', so it is even more important in that respect.

"If we get through to the group stages then I think the owners – because they put everything at Coutinho's disposal before, giving him a five-year deal and the pay increase that he and his agent asked for – have strong enough grounds to stand firm.

"The owners know it's Barcelona but to them it's a contract signed and until they've got a player who can fill his boots then they have no interest in selling, especially after the way the club was embarrassed with the timing of the transfer request."

The former Liverpool man believes that Liverpool will face a tough challenge against the German side, as they were unbeaten at home in Bundesliga last season, and thinks if Liverpool can manage to defensive tenderness then they can come over the German side.

 He added: "Out of all the teams we could have played this was the hardest. We could have had Nice, Steaua Bucharest, Young Boys or Istanbul BB and we pulled out Hoffenheim. They are very good defensively, very good at set-plays and Liverpool obviously need to improve at the back.