Liverpool pair Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino have both been marked as potential doubts to start the Reds’ huge Premier League game against Manchester United when domestic football resumes after the conclusion international break. Both Coutinho and Firmino are part of the Brazil squad for the final round of World Cup qualifying fixtures this month, and their involvement with the national team will see them have minimal time to rest or train before United visit Anfield on 14th October.
Coutinho played 66 minutes of Brazil’s 0-0 draw with Bolivia on Thursday night, while Firmino was an unused substitute. But the final game is still come against Chile on Tuesday 10th October which will be in the early hours of Wednesday morning UK time. Liverpool have taken to hiring private jets for their Brazilian players to travel in recent months, often sharing them with Chelsea and Manchester City, but The Metro has estimated that it will be Thursday by the time Coutinho and Firmino are back in England. Cross time zones, neither player will have much rest, with the game against United then coming at 12.30pm on Saturday lunchtime. It will be an incredibly tight turnaround and a big ask for either to start the game and be at their full level.
Liverpool have had similar issues with Sadio Mane in the past, travelling thousands of miles back from Africa after representing Senegal. Fortunately for the Reds this time, Senegal’s only game of the international break will be played on 7th October, leaving plenty of time for Mane to rest before the United game a week later.
Source: 90min
