Comparing Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho and Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil makes for interesting reading.
Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho and Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil are widely regarded as two of the most outstanding players in the Premier League at the moment, with their respective clubs sitting near the top of the table.
The two attacking midfielders have plenty in their locker when it comes to creativity, dribbling ability in possession and general crowd-pleasing flair, yet they have seemingly now added those all-important goals to their game.
After 11 games of the current campaign gone, Liverpool sit at the top of the Premier League table having found the net 30 times already while Arsenal are just two points behind in fourth place.
Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho in action with Swansea City’s Leon Britton
Coutinho and Ozil are undoubtedly among the most important players for their respective clubs, and the duo have played pivotal roles already as both Liverpool and Arsenal eye a potential title fight.
| Goals | Assists | Shots per game | Key passes per game | Take-ons per game | Touches per game | Accurate Passes per ga,e | Ball Recoveries per game | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philippe Coutinho | 5 | 5 | 4.18 | 2.73 | 2.64 | 72.36 | 43.09 | 5.27 | 11 | 843 |
| Mesut Özil | 3 | 1 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 76.3 | 51.4 | 4.1 | 10 | 800 |
But which player has performed better so far this season? Well, as per the table provided by Opta above, incredibly there is one clear winner as Coutinho outshines his rival in as many as six key categories.
The Brazil international has posted an impressive five goals and five assists already compared to Ozil’s three strikes and one assist, with Coutinho playing just 43 minutes more than his rival.
Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho celebrates scoring their first goal
Moreover, the former Inter Milan ace boasts an impressive average of 4.18 shots, 2.73 key passes, 2.64 take-ons and 5.27 ball recoveries per league match – figures which betters Arsenal’s talisman.
Ozil does come out on top in terms of the average number of touches and accurate passes per game, but in terms of key contributions there is one clear winner between the two.
Many have speculated that Coutinho has the ability to play for a club in the mould of Barcelona or Real Madrid, and on current form there aren’t many who could argue against such a statement.
Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho celebrates scoring their fourth goal
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