Football
Glenn Price, Liverpool correspondent 6y

Philippe Coutinho most professional player of season - Oxlade-Chamberlain

Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has praised the professionalism of Philippe Coutinho after his hopes of moving to Barcelona in the summer were frustrated.

Coutinho scored a superb individual goal, his 10th strike of the season, in the 4-0 win at Bournemouth on Sunday.

Speaking after the match, Oxlade-Chamberlain told Sky Sports he believed questions about Coutinho's future were unfair and praised his performance this season.

He said: "He's a Liverpool player right now and he's doing really well for us. He's been the most professional player I've seen all season.

"He's been top quality from the start, and every time he's on the pitch he does his all for the club. That's the most important thing right now.

"It's not fair to ask those kind of questions [about his future]. He gives us his all every game and that's all we can ask for."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said there was "nothing to say" about Coutinho's future and added: "The judgment about Phil is already done since I'm in at Liverpool.

"He's a fantastic player, but the job of Liverpool is to play without Phil Coutinho, Sadio Mane, Mo Salah. That's the job.

"That's what makes the quality of the squad. Today, thank God, he was here and could play well, like all the others.

"But about the transfer window, we have nothing to say -- nothing positive or negative, until something happens -- but there's still a few weeks or months to go."

Meanwhile, Oxlade-Chamberlain was named Sky's Man of the Match and said he believed that was further evidence of his improvement since a summer switch from Arsenal.

"I definitely think I've made strides forward and I've got areas to keep improving on," he added. "There's more to come from me.

"I'm trying every time I get opportunities to do the things the manager wants and then also the things I know that I can do.

"I'm happy with the performance of all the boys today and I thought I did OK. Usually you have to get a goal to be Man of the Match!"

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