Liverpool showed the areas they need to strengthen against Chelsea and should cash in on Philippe Coutinho in order to progress

• e-mail

They did not play in the same team on Saturday as Jurgen Klopp rotated his squad in advance of another busy fortnight but it is clear that Sadio Mane and Mo Salah represent the future.

Salah has been superb in his debut season and was magnificent in the second half against Chelsea. 

Watching the Egyptian continually threaten the Chelsea defence, it was tempting to wonder just how good this Liverpool team could be if Klopp could correct obvious problems at the other end of the field.

Liverpool should consider selling Philippe Coutinho in order to address other areas of the team

The Brazilian put in a shift against Chelsea but didn't dominate like counterpart Eden Hazard

With this in mind, It seems to me that next summer would be the right time to take a difficult decision and sell Philippe Coutinho.

Liverpool did well to resist Barcelona’s overtures last summer. But if real money if offered again at the end of this season, it is time to take it and invest in the areas where Liverpool remain weak.

I used to wonder how Liverpool could cope without Coutinho. He is a wonderful player. But with Mane and Salah providing directness and players like Roberto Firmino and Adam Lallana to add cleverness and imagination, it is now time to move on.

Sell Coutinho, buy a defender and holding player and then see if another run at the title looks quite as far-fetched as it has this time.

Mohamed Salah scored again for the Reds and showed he could be the base for the future