Philippe Coutinho at Aston Villa is all down to Steven Gerrard. Time will tell if the gamble pays off for both

Who would have thought that Philippe Coutinho, the third-most expensive footballer on the planet after his €160 million move to Barcelona from Liverpool in 2018, would sign for mid-table Aston Villa? Put it down to the magnetism of new Villa manager Steven Gerrard and his belief that the Brazilian midfielder can sprinkle stardust in England once again. But can he?

Since escaping what had become a nightmare at Barcelona, Coutinho has made a dream debut for Villa, with a goal in their comeback to draw 2-2 with Manchester United and then helping them to a win at Everton. Gerrard clearly believes that his former Liverpool teammate — the pair played together from 2013 to 2015 — can provide the spark and creativity to turn a useful but erratic team into top six challengers. Not every manager would have taken the gamble, but Coutinho’s former captain remembers how the Brazilian’s vision, spectacular goals and dribbling skills lit up Anfield for several seasons.

At Villa, Gerrard can offer a welcoming home where Coutinho can nurse a bruised ego back to health, remind him of how special he can be, and hope to rebuild his crumbled confidence. Coutinho is already acquainted with the bright young players who can help him light the way, like England striker Ollie Watkins, breakout midfielder Jacob Ramsey, tough and consistent John McGinn and gifted wide player Emi Buendia, who might be the sort of flair player to thrive alongside Coutinho’s subtle skills.

Against Everton, Coutinho’s first start meant no place for striker Danny Ings, who has not yet produced his Southampton form (34 goals in 67 games) since moving to the Midlands last August. For the…