Liverpool player could continue step up injury return after AXA Training Centre progress

Stefan Bajcetic could continue his step up from injury for Liverpool this evening.

The midfielder has endured a difficult 12 months after having adductor surgery in March 2023. Bajcetic enjoyed a breakthrough season in the 2022-23 season as he made 19 appearances. He was a rare beacon of light in a faltering midfield and a lacklustre season that resulted in Champions League qualification relinquished.

The highlight for Bajcetic was a start in the Reds' defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 first leg - but that was to be his final outing before his setback.

Liverpool were patient with the 19-year-old during pre-season and he made a return to action in September when featuring in wins over LASK and Leicester City in the Europa League and Carabao Cup respectively. But he suffered another issue and was again confined to the treatment table.

After overcoming his problem, the former Celta Vigo youngster had to then undergo his own tailored pre-season training programme. That led to Jurgen Klopp admitting he couldn't understand why Bajcetic was not available for action when he caught a glimpse of one session over his lunch at the AXA Training Centre at the end of February - having been highly impressed.

“Stefan is one of these things - I had lunch and I saw him training and sat there and thought: ‘Why is he not playing?!’,” said Klopp.

“He’s obviously gaining fitness now and running around like wow. He’s doing everything, but he did not get the green light yet for team training. There is nobody in this building that wants to hold him back so there might be some reasons. He is completely pain free, which is obviously the most important thing.

“All checks were made like scans again, bone looks good, that’s all fine. He’s just doing the stuff he’s doing and we have to make sure of the moment we use him again in normal training.

“The difficult of football is that it is such a complex sport for the body, it’s not just that you have to turn yourself but somebody else turns you.

Bajcetic has continued to be eased back into training, having started with the under-21s before stepping up to the first team.

The Spain youth international was on the bench for Liverpool's 3-0 loss against Atalanta in the Europa League quarter-final first leg earlier this month. The following evening, he made a return to action for the under-21s in a 3-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Bajcetic came off the bench on the hour mark and made an immediate impact, assisting Kaide Gordon’s goal.

Bajcetic has not been included in Liverpool’s previous two match-day squads, most recently a 3-1 win over Fulham as Klopp’s troops ensured they remain firmly in the Premier League title race with five matches to play.

But the under-21s are in action tonight when they make the trip to Sunderland in their quest for a top-four finish in Premier League 2. A win for Barry Lewtas’ side will see them leapfrog Chelsea in the table in their penultimate fixture. If Bajcetic is involved, it’s likely that he features for longer than 30 minutes as he builds fitness sharpness.

Jayden Danns and Bobby Clark were among the youngsters also not involved against Fulham so could also feature.