Liverpool midfielder could be rested for Spurs match after international trip

Tottenham Hotspur resume their Premier League title-chasing campaign this Saturday when they head to Anfield to take on Liverpool. However, Spurs' chances may be given a boost after reports are circulating that midfielder Philippe Coutinho is a doubt for the match.

Coutinho to be assessed by #LFC staff after arduous international trip https://t.co/KI5wsHSell pic.twitter.com/QFa4GEZUng

— Liverpool FC News (@LivEchoLFC) March 30, 2016

Coutinho is currently on international duty with Brazil and isn't due back to the UK until Thursday night and after a long flight from South America. Brazil is four (or five, depending on where you are) hours behind London, and that's a heck of a journey. Apparently the Liverpool coaches want to make sure Coutinho is okay with the whole travel thing before throwing him into a critical match against Spurs.

I have my doubts about the importance of this report. Sure, it's a long flight and jet lag isn't fun, but Coutinho's a big boy and he'll have a day to train and recover. This isn't like he's coming back from an ankle knock or something. That said, winning at Anfield is difficult even in the best of circumstances, so Spurs would probably take any advantage in this fixture, no matter how slight.