Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup praised Liverpool's new addition Philippe Coutinho after the Brazilian midfielder inspired The Reds to a 5-0 win over The Swans at Anfield.

After going four without a win, including Thursday's defeat at Zenit St Petersburg, Steven Gerrard set Liverpool on their way with a 34<sup>th minute penalty after Kemy Agustien's foul on Luis Suarez.

Suarez layed on the second for full home debutant Coutinho, who smashed home before Jose Enrique and then the Uruguayan himself slalomed through to make it four.

Daniel Sturridge completed the route from the penalty spot after Wayne Routledge's handball as Liverpool leapfrogged Swansea; far from ideal preparation for Laudrup's side ahead of the League Cup final against Bradford City next week.

Philippe Coutinho
Coutinho scored his first Liverpool goal in the thrashing of Swansea.

"He's a real talented player the boy, he's only 20 and had good experience of playing at a high level," Laudrup said of Coutinho in the Mirror.

"He's a wonderful technician, you can see that with his goal and the way he interlinked with other players. He's got a real skill, and he has already played with Brazil so he could be a real talent.

"But he has come from a very different league with Inter Milan where the game is played at a different tempo, and it will take time for him to adapt to the pace of the Premier League."

Despite climbing to seventh, Liverpool's inconsistency looks set to deny them of a place in the Champions League next season, while qualification for the Europa League also seem like a distant dream with five points separating them from fifth place Arsenal having played a game more.

But after Rodgers admitted at the start of the season that Liverpool were lacking in attacking resources, his January purchases have already paid dividends with The Reds now the fourth highest scorers in the division.