LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, November 27, 2019: Liverpool's Dejan Lovren during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between Liverpool FC and SSC Napoli at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool handed another timely boost as Dejan Lovren returns to training

Dejan Lovren is the latest player to provide Jurgen Klopp with a boost to his options as he returned to training on Tuesday.

The centre-back succumbed to a hamstring injury in the 2-0 win at Salzburg on December 10, where he has since missed the Reds’ last 10 games.

But Lovren was pictured taking part in first-team training at Melwood on Tuesday evening as Liverpool continue their preparations for the trip to Wolves on Thursday.

The 30-year-old is likely to be eased into training and first-team action after his spell on the sidelines, and the return of Joel Matip and Fabinho, from their respective injuries, will ensure there is no need to rush him into the side.

But after a lengthy spell in the treatment room, Lovren was “happy to be back with the team” at Melwood:

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With Matip having already been sidelined with a knee complaint, Lovern’s injury left Klopp with just Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez as the two senior options at his disposal during a relentless fixture list.

It forced the recall of Nat Phillips from his loan spell at VfB Stuttgart as he took to the field in the FA Cup win at Everton and was an option from the bench at Tottenham, where he has since returned to Germany.

But Lovren’s presence is now another welcome boost for Liverpool, with Klopp only unable to call upon Naby Keita (groin) and James Milner (hamstring), while Xherdan Shaqiri was also not pictured on Tuesday as he continues to recover from a “minor calf injury” which forced his absence against Man United.

They are each expected to make their respective returns in the coming days and weeks, but Klopp is likely to provide a brief update in his pre-Wolves press conference on Wednesday (1.30pm, GMT).