'Liverpool can cope without Coutinho'

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says Liverpool can cope without Philippe Coutinho as they prepare for the daunting task of hosting Premier League leaders Manchester City on Sunday. The Brazil playmaker, who scored 12 goals this season for the club, completed a 160 million-euro ($194 million, £142 million) move to Barcelona on Monday to leave a significant hole in Jurgen Klopp's side.

However, Oxlade-Chamberlain, who experienced key personnel such Robin van Persie leave when he was at Arsenal, believes he and the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino can help fill the void without too much disruption. "I haven't really even thought about Phil leaving," he said. "You realize it happens but you can't start thinking 'what are we going to do now that Phil is not here?' "It can't be that at all. It's business as usual.

"When Phil wasn't in the team we still played great football and we have still amazing players who can score goals the likes of Mo (Salah), Sadio, Roberto." With Liverpool seemingly unlikely to buy a replacement in the January transfer window.

-AFP, London