Liverpool fans will be well aware by now, at least the ones who read Sport Witness, that the Catalan media love a wind up and will twist any situation to suit their own ends.
This has been repeatedly clear during the Coutinho saga, and as well as twisting stories, Catalan newspapers often try and drive a wedge between Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool’s owners and fans.
And now Everton have been dragged into it.
During the summer, the German manager annoyed Barcelona’s most friendly press by putting his foot down over Coutinho, both publicly and privately, and not rolling over. This has seen a whole series of snipes sent Klopp’s way.
Well, there’s another on Wednesday. In one of about 7 Coutinho related articles, Sport look at Thomas Lemar, and Liverpool considering him as a replacement, and then at the bottom it’s stated the Brazilian ‘took disgust last weekend at not being a starter in the derby against Everton’
This is further motivating Coutinho’s decision to leave Anfield.
Klopp’s team selection for the Everton match was a surprise, but Sport are almost certainly going too far off the deep end. Sam Allardyce’s men managed to get a draw, with Wayne Rooney converting a penalty to get an equaliser, but it’s thought Coutinho’s decision to leave was made long ago anyway.
The Catalan press themselves have been reporting for months, and do again today, that Coutinho has had personal terms agreed since the summer, so starting on the bench against Everton is hardly the big push.
However, should Coutinho leave in January, Everton may well like to feel they played a part.
