Liverpool handed fresh injury boost as key player takes 'step' towards earlier recovery

Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold could be set to return earlier than expected as he battles his way back from injury. The Reds are preparing for the final and most important part of their season, entering the final run-in after the international break.

Jurgen Klopp's men are just goal difference from the top of the league, and with Arsenal and Manchester City facing off after the break, they may well have their fate in their own hands heading into the final games of the season. It has already been an excellent season for Liverpool, who have remained in the thick of the title race despite being handed injury blow after injury blow.

The full-back returned from a knee ligament injury in February before suffering a more serious setback to the same injury, and he has remained out since, scheduled to return in April. But a fresh report from the Telegraph has claimed the defender is set to return earlier than expected after taking 'another step' in his recovery.

Liverpool are in action on March 31 against Brighton and again against Sheffield United on April 4. It will be interesting to see if Alexander-Arnold features in either of those games, though the Reds are likely to be cautious over their use of the England international this time around given how things panned out last time.

Asked about whether Liverpool rushed Alexander-Arnold back from injury ahead of his last setback, Klopp said at the time: "It’s really unfortunate, nobody wants that and nobody’s doing that (forcing the player back). [There are] different cases, different scenarios and, as long as I am here, we never forced anybody back and never will.

“We work in a high performance area where, if you had the same injury, you are fit after three days and [the player] is fit after four weeks because they have to sprint and stuff like this. We always try to catch the earliest moment but unfortunately when we catch that moment, nobody speaks about it. Like with Macca, or recently with Diogo, that’s a job we have to do.

“But the last decision is then always by the player and if we always listen only to the player then they would play after two weeks and then it’s a real problem. So the boys were, in the moment when they played, they were fit. But the situation told us then differently because it happened again. We will never know if it would have happened anyway or it just happened because there was something before. Very, very unlucky and unfortunate, absolutely, but I had that a couple of times in my time as a manager, not only here. It is not great, but nothing else.

“It says nothing about the quality of anybody but the world we are living in there is always [talk about] the medical department. We have to bring the boys as back as soon as possible but never sooner than they are ready.”