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Philippe Coutinho says the backing of Liverpool supporters will inspire him to greater heights this season.

The little Brazilian playmaker has quickly established himself as a Kop favourite following his £8.5million move from Inter Milan in January.

More Liverpool shirts have been sold this summer with Coutinho on the back than any other player and he already has a song dedicated to him.

“The way the fans have supported me has really helped my confidence,” he said.

“I'm very happy they are selling so many shirts, it’s a great honour for me. It makes me feel very happy.

“I've heard the song, Ole! Ole! When I hear that song it makes me want to play even better.

“The fact they enjoy my game means so much. It's great when the fans are behind you like this.”

Coutinho has started pre-season where he left off in May with eye-catching goal-scoring performances in Liverpool's first two friendlies.

He is no longer a surprise package in English football but the 21-year-old believes he can stay one step ahead of the Premier League's bully boys.

“You have to be able to think ahead and know that other players are coming to get you,” he said.

“Every game I go into, I have a plan in my head about what I want to do. I have to be quick enough not to be hit.

“It is more physical in England than in Brazil, definitely. When you put your head up in England, you will see two or three players who are ready to hit you. In Brazil you have time and space to play the ball.”

Coutinho knows a good season at club level could put him in contention for next summer's World Cup in his homeland. He has yet to add to the one senior cap he picked up against Iran in 2010.

“I will just keep playing the way I have been doing,” he said.

“I'm not thinking about the national team at the moment, I am thinking about Liverpool.

“Yes, it's a dream for a player to play for his own country in their own World Cup. Everyone will be doing their very best to try and get in that squad.

“It is also a dream to wear that No 10 shirt for Brazil. If I do well for Liverpool this season and if Liverpool are winning lots of games, then I know my chances of being in the World Cup squad will improve. I hope my time will come but I have to concentrate on Liverpool first.”

Coutinho believes there are parallels between Brazilian golden boy Neymar, who recently signed for Barcelona, and Luis Suarez, whose future at Anfield continues to look uncertain.



“I want Neymar to do well always,” he said.

“I want him to do well with Barcelona and I think he will. He is a special player. I hope that one day we can play for the national team together.

“For sure you can make the comparison because Neymar and Luis are two big names, but they have different qualities.

“Neymar is more about dribbling and organising the attacks, Luis scores a lot of goals. You can’t compare them directly as players, but Luis is on a par with Neymar in terms of qualities.

“They are both exceptional players. We all hope that Luis stays. Everyone here wants to play with top footballers and that is exactly what Luis is.”

Coutinho, who found himself warming the bench at Inter Milan prior to his move to Anfield, is relishing the prospect of helping the Reds build on the progress made in the closing months of the last campaign.

He added: “We need to be more consistent this season than we were last year if we want to be in the Champions League. That has to be the objective.

“Personally I always do my best. Sometimes it doesn’t happen like I would hope it does but I will never give up. I will never stop trying to help the team.

“I have got to get better and the more opportunities I get here will help me.

“I didn’t play well at Inter. I did have opportunities and I didn’t have confidence. That is why I didn’t do well there. It really helps now that I have got a coach that believes in me.”