Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota could be involved for Liverpool against Atalanta on Thursday night after taking part in the Reds’ opening training session.
The pair returned to training alongside Stefan Bajcetic and Alisson Becker on Tuesday, and were again involved in the club’s latest session ahead of their Europa League quarter-final first leg. Having got through at least two sessions unscathed, they could now come into contention to make their long-awaited comebacks on Thursday night.
Alexander-Arnold hasn’t featured since being substituted at half-time in the 3-1 victory over Burnley in early-February with a recurrence of a knee injury. Meanwhile, Jota has been absent since being forced off in Liverpool’s 4-1 victory away at Brentford later the same month.
Bajcetic also took part in the latest training session on Wednesday afternoon. However, Jurgen Klopp has already confirmed that the teenager, who has made just two appearances in the past 13 months because of long-term injury, is more likely to make his own comeback for Barry Lewtas’ Under-21s side before being considered for first team action.
The young Reds are next in action at Old Trafford, away at Manchester United on Friday night.
Meanwhile, Alisson was also spotted at the AXA Training Centre, but, after Klopp confirmed at his pre-match press conference that the Brazilian is not yet back in full training, the goalkeeper was indeed training separately away from the group. Caoimhin Kelleher and Adrian remain Liverpool’s available senior goalkeeping options as a result, with the Reds’ first-choice shot-stopper not yet ready to return.
With the quartet all closing in on returns, Thiago Alcantara, Joel Matip, and Ben Doak make up the rest of Liverpool’s current injury list.
Klopp has previously insisted the Spaniard could return before the end of the season, after suffering a hamstring injury when making his comeback from a long-term absence through a hip complaint in the defeat to Arsenal at the start of the month. In contrast, Matip will miss the rest of the campaign after suffering an ACL injury against Fulham in December.
Doak suffered a knee injury when playing for the Under-21s against Chelsea the same month, and was forced to undergo surgery. He is not yet back in team training, but did post an update on social media earlier this week confirming he has stepped up his rehabilitation and is nearing a return after being pictured running outside at the AXA Training Centre.
