Losing Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona was probably good, says David James

'Financially rewarding'
"It's encouraging, but as a Liverpool fan you want to see a season and not a mid-season surge. Losing Coutinho was probably good. Financially, they got rewarded for it and that also means that there is a different balance, which is better in the team now. I am already looking at the 2018-19 season, which will be Liverpool's year to win the league," James, who donned the 'keeper's gloves at Anfield from 1992-99, said on the sidelines of The National Inclusion Cup, a slum soccer event, at Andheri yesterday.

Philippe Coutinho

Currently placed third in the English Premier League table with 54 points from 27 games, Liverpool's hopes of clinching their 19th EPL title are almost buried. However, James reckoned all is not lost for the Reds in the Champions League. Liverpool took a giant step towards the quarters as they hammered FC Porto 5-0 in the first leg this month.

Europe now, the only hope
"Realistically, Man City will have to do something very drastic to lose the EPL. Liverpool's best chance at the moment of doing something superb would be the Champions League, but given the quality of teams still there, it is a tough ask," he added.

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