Aston Villa attacker Philippe Coutinho has faced criticism from one journalist for his display against Everton on Saturday afternoon.
The lowdown
Villa beat Everton 2-1 to get off the mark for the new season, with Emi Buendia’s goal proving to be the difference.
Coutinho kept his place from the opening day defeat against Bournemouth, this time starting behind Ings and Watkins in a 4-3-2-1 formation.
The Brazilian would only be able to complete an hour before he was forced off with an apparent injury though, as Steven Gerrard sent Buendia on in his place.
The latest
Matt Maher, the chief sports writer at The Express & Star, issued his verdict on Coutinho’s performance as he left the field.
He felt the 30-year-old had been unable to make a real impression across his hour on the field.
“Coutinho, who has struggled to make any impact, down getting treatment,” he wrote on Twitter. “Buendia warming up.”
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The verdict
The statistics certainly justify Maher’s take.
Coutinho picked up a SofaScore rating of just 6.4 out of 10, the lowest of all Villa’s starters.
He won only one of his four ground duels, and lost all three of his aerial battles, meaning his success rate was a mere 14% overall.
The former Barcelona man was unable to register a shot or create a chance, and he also turned the ball over on 11 occasions.
On this evidence, it’s doubtful whether he would have kept his place for next weekend’s trip to Crystal Palace even without his injury.
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