Roberto Firmino could come back into contention for Liverpool’s clash with Man City on Sunday, with the Brazilian back in light training at Melwood on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old missed last weekend’s 2-1 win at home to Burnley with a minor injury, with Divock Origi taking his place up front at Anfield.
Speaking after the game, Jurgen Klopp was optimistic Firmino would be fit to make his comeback against City, saying “we hope he should be OK.”
This looks set to be the case, with the forward returning to light training on Wednesday morning.
While the likes of Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane took part in rigorous exercise as Klopp watched on, Firmino was instead running with Andreas Kornmayer.
With another three days’ training before the Reds’ clash with their top-four rivals, it is likely Firmino will be available for selection.
This is a big boost for Klopp, with Origi struggling for form as his replacement in attack, and Daniel Sturridge still sidelined with a hip problem, and Firmino could expect to start.
The former Hoffenheim star has scored twice and assisted twice in four games against City since joining Liverpool in 2015, and has not lost to the Manchester side in three outings in the Premier League.
Not pictured in training on Wednesday, however, was Jordan Henderson, with the captain still suffering from a foot injury that has seen him miss Liverpool’s last three games.
Henderson is not likely to return before the end of the month, with his comeback pencilled in for the Merseyside derby at Anfield on April 1.
“He cannot train, he for sure can’t play against City, and then I think it makes sense that he does rehab,” Klopp said after the victory over Burnley.
“Hopefully he can run in the second week of the international break, and then we have to see.”
Emre Can is likely to keep his place in the starting lineup with Henderson out, and the German took a prominent role in training in sunny West Derby.
Simon Mignolet, Loris Karius, Caoimhin Kelleher, Ragnar Klavan, Joel Matip, Lucas Leiva, Nathaniel Clyne, James Milner, Alberto Moreno, Georginio Wijnaldum and Ben Woodburn also took part, along with Lallana, Coutinho, Mane and Origi.
Woodburn is believed to be under consideration for a call-up to the senior Wales setup for this month’s international break, with Chris Coleman set to announce his squad on Thursday.
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