Reds manager Brendan Rodgers expects the playmaker to be available after playing part of Sunday’s defeat to Hull City and is also hopeful of a swift recovery by Kolo Toure

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers expects Philippe Coutinho to be fit to face Norwich City on Wednesday.

The Brazilian suffered a high ankle strain in the Merseyside derby on November 23 and was unable to train before Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at Hull City.

Coutinho came on as a 66th-minute replacement for Raheem Sterling at the KC Stadium and Rodgers said on Monday that the 21-year-old came through the game unscathed.

“Philippe will be fine,” the Liverpool boss told reporters. “He has had no further reaction from the game yesterday. He’s trained this morning so, all being well, he’ll be fit.

“We’ll assess [Kolo Toure] in the next 24 hours,” he added after the Ivorian picked up a hip injury at Hull, “but hopefully he should be available.”

With his side set to go without striker Daniel Sturridge until the end of January, the Northern Irishman is confident that he will be backed to sign players in the winter transfer window, providing that they are of a sufficient calibre to improve the side.

“I always look at the bigger picture and the bigger picture is pretty bright. I’m really only focused on where we are at this moment,” he added.

“Every window will be exactly the same. If there’s a player we think we can improve our squad and, in particular, our team, we will be in a position to go out and try to get that player.”