Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho became the Premier League’s highest-scoring Brazilian.

The 24-year-old came off the bench to score the important equaliser as his side recovered from a goal down to win 2-1 at Stoke.

It was his 30th top-flight goal and put him one clear of former Middlesbrough attacker Juninho.

Countryman Roberto Firmino, who scored the winner, is only 10 goals behind after 61 matches compared to his compatriot’s 131, but Coutinho plans to add many more having already equalled his best Premier League season tally of nine with seven games still to go.

“I am happy for that. I want to keep going to keep scoring and helping my team and keep learning from my manager,” said Coutinho, who only joined up with the squad on the morning of the match day after losing three kilograms in three days because of illness.

“[The club] asked me to stay at home because I was not feeling well but I wanted to be here.

“I wanted to be involved with the team. The manager decided [to put him on the bench] because I was not 100 percent.”