Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho's superb season for Liverpool has been recognised after he was named the club's Player of the Year
The 22-year-old was confirmed as the winner of the award, voted for by the club's supporters, at Liverpool's end-of-season awards night held at the ECHO Arena.
Coutinho has been a standout performer in a difficult campaign for Liverpool and scored some spectacular goals.
Long-range strikes against Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup and Southampton in the Premier League were particularly memorable along with a stunning winner against Manchester City at Anfield.
He has found the net eight times for Brendan Rodgers' side in all competitions this season and caught the eye with some brilliant individual displays.
Rodgers claimed earlier in the year that Coutinho has the potential to fill the void left by the departure of Luis Suarez to Barcelona last summer.
'You would just pay money to watch that kid,' Rodgers said in February. 'He is a great role model for lots of technical players in this country. He will become world class in the next couple of years.
'Luis Suarez was at a level, then he played in this team and grew and grew with the model and went into the world-class bracket and I can see Coutinho falling in the same sort of way.
'He might not be as prolific as Suárez was but he is certainly on the way to that. He is a wonderful, wonderful player.'
Last month Countiho's season was recognised by his fellow players and he was named in the PFA Team of the Year and was third in the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
And after Liverpool's 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace last Saturday he also received the 'Golden Samba' – a special supporters' award having topped a poll voted for by Liverpool fans.
Coutinho, who joined from Inter Milan for £8.5m in January 2013, was rewarded for his impressive displays in February with a new five-year contract which will keep him at Anfield until 2020.
Coutinho was backed for the prestigious award by fellow Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson on the night.
Henderson said: 'It will be a great night for the fans, who can really enjoy the night. I voted for Philippe he's been fantastic all season and produced magical moments.'
Raheem Sterling felt the wrath of Liverpool supporters when he was jeered upon winning the Young Player of the Year at the club’s awards ceremony on Tuesday night.
Sterling was heckled and booed as he took the stage to receive his accolade, with shouts of ‘Are you staying then?’ raining from the audience.
An acceptance speech was momentarily interrupted as those present in the audience made their displeasure known with the Liverpool winger’s conduct as he tries to push through a transfer. Manchester City are preparing a bid.
The response follows a controversial 24 hours for Sterling, when it was confirmed his agent Aidy Ward will hold talks with Liverpool’s chief executive Ian Ayre later this week.
Those close to Sterling have made it known his intention is to leave Anfield, with a series of allegations accusing Liverpool of trying to ‘bully’ him into signing a £100,000 a week, £5.2 million a year contract.
Sterling had earlier arrived to an ambivalent reception, but the feelings of the Liverpool fans became obvious when he spoke.
Sterling said: “I would just like to thank my team-mates and everyone who voted for me.”
The barbs followed him back to his seat.
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