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Brendan Rodgers coy on Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino inclusion

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is coy about Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino's prospects of starting the opening day of the new Premier League campaign.

Brendan Rodgers has revealed that he hasn't yet made a decision on whether or not Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho will be included for Liverpool against Stoke City on the opening day.

Both Brazil players were involved in the Copa America and are pencilled in to return to training on Wednesday, but Rodgers said that he plans to speak to the pair as their fitness is assessed by the club.

The Reds boss told the club's official website: "I always speak to players. We know physically where they'll be at, we know they were involved in a competition, had some rest.

"But I always like to speak to players just to get the feel. You can have all your analysis and you can have all your statistics but sometimes the most important line is the communication. So we'll see how they feel.

"They're going to come back in good condition, refreshed, and if they start season and - like I've done before - if I feel a player needs a rest during the season I will do that."

Liverpool have won both their pre-season games so far against Thai All Stars and Brisbane Roar.

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Hoffenheim's Brazilian midfielder Roberto Firmino celebrates during the German trophy football match Borussia Dortmund vs TSG Hoffenheim in the Signal Iduna Park stadium in Dortmund, western Germany on April 7, 2015
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool18143145172845
2Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest1911442619737
3Arsenal18106235161936
4Chelsea18105338211735
5Manchester CityMan City199463226631
6Bournemouth198652923630
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle188553021929
8Fulham197842825329
9Aston Villa188462629-328
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton186842726126
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1973941281324
12Brentford187383232024
13West Ham UnitedWest Ham196582335-1223
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd186482124-322
15Crystal Palace194872027-720
16Everton183871524-917
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1944113142-1116
18Leicester CityLeicester1935112242-2014
19Ipswich TownIpswich1826101633-1712
20Southampton1913151239-276


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