Brendan: Sensational Phil still has more

An absorbing meeting between the Reds and the reigning Barclays Premier League champions saw Jordan Henderson and Edin Dzeko trade a goal apiece before the break at Anfield.

As chances came and went for either side in the second period, it seemed that something special would be required to decide the contest - and Coutinho certainly provided it.

Jinking into a yard of space on the left edge of City territory with 75 minutes on the clock, the Brazilian whipped an unstoppable, curling winner beyond Joe Hart at the Kop end.

Rodgers said: "To beat Joe Hart, who I rate extremely highly, at 6ft 5 and a top-class goalkeeper, to beat him from that angle with that power was a phenomenal strike - as was Jordan's.

"In particular since he signed his contract, he has started to score goals. He's a joy to watch. He's a kid that has got so much ahead of him in the game at 22 years of age.

"People forget he came to us at 20, still developing and adapting to a new country. He's a sensational footballer and now he's starting to add the goals to mirror that quality."

In the corresponding fixture of last season, it was Coutinho who pounced on a Vincent Kompany error to sweep a glorious and crucial finish home, sealing a 3-2 victory for Liverpool.

Today he was even better, the engine of much of the Reds' finest work with his exquisite control and clear vision of everything that is happening around him on the field.

"I think he is a star in the Premier League already, but there are still improvements he can make," Rodgers continued in his assessment at the post-match press conference.

"He is a young player that has developed, he's got the trust of his teammates, he is playing at a football club that adores him and he loves it here, hence him signing a new deal.

"He is playing for a team that wants to play a technical game and you add all of that to his humility as a kid to want to improve - he's a boy that wants to train every day, wants to do extra work.

"He is an absolute pleasure and a joy to work with. He's a kid we brought in a couple of years ago, and it'd be frightening to know what he'd [now] be worth in the market, but there are still improvements to make."

It was seven days ago that the Brazil international had unleashed a long-range drive at St Mary's into the top corner to set Liverpool on their way to a 2-0 win over Southampton.

Earlier in February, he had kept the Reds on course for FA Cup success with a similarly ambitious yet astounding strike into the roof of the net against Bolton Wanderers.

Rodgers explained that a subtle switch in mentality had helped Coutinho to become not just a creator but a goalscorer in recent times - something the boss expects to continue.

"He is a player that has always assisted and made the final pass in his career, playing it in or working it for someone," the Northern Irishman said.

"He's a very selfless player, a very humble young guy and he would always rather create for others. But we have just encouraged him and he has done more work on the training field as well.

"He has got wonderful body movement around the edge of the box where it doesn't take him many touches to get the ball under control, shift it and shoot.

"You have seen recently that he is starting to work that space really well. His technique is at a really, really high level so he is going to score more goals.

"He is now arriving into the areas and obviously then he is able to pull the trigger and get his shots off. You saw that goal, the one at Bolton which was a great strike and some other strikes.

"He is now starting to get success from it and that obviously encourages him to shoot more."