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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Paul Gorst

Five things spotted in Liverpool training as Thiago absence explained

Diogo Jota stepped up his return from injury by taking his part in Liverpool's training session on Thursday afternoon.

The Portugal international, who has missed the last four months of action, made his comeback earlier this week and was again involved on Thursday as Jurgen Klopp put his players through their paces ahead of Monday's visit from Everton in the Merseyside derby.

Jota hasn't featured since suffering a serious calf injury in the closing stages of the 1-0 win over Manchester City on October 16 but was part of the club's contingent who flew to Dubai in December as he continued his rehabilitation at the renowned Nad al Sheba Complex.

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And with the former Wolves star now back in team training, he could be in contention for a return to the match-day squad when the Reds host their local rivals in a huge game for both clubs on Monday evening.

Klopp is expected to deliver an update on Jota in his Friday press conference but it is unlikely the versatile forward will come straight back into the starting lineup given his near four-month long absence during a campaign that has been blighted by injury.

Jota has made just eight appearances all season having suffered with a hamstring issue over the summer but his return to action will be a huge boost for Klopp, who has been without Luis Diaz since October and Roberto Firmino since the return of domestic action after the World Cup in late December.

Firmino close to return

Firmino was at least part of the action at the AXA Centre on Thursday, playing some part in an outdoor session as he steps up his own recovery from a calf problem that has kept him out of action since before the Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester City before Christmas.

Firmino has missed the last 10 games in total and it's unclear at this stage how ready the Brazil forward is for Monday's visit from Sean Dyche's Blues. The Reds frontman was pictured in talks with the club's head of recovery and performance, Dr Andreas Schlumberger, as he went through the warm-up routines. Like Jota, Klopp will give a further update on the 31-year-old on Friday morning when he speaks to the media.

Hello again Arthur

Arhtur Melo was pictured in action in one of his first sessions since undergoing surgery on a thigh injury in October. The August deadline day signing has played just 13 minutes since moving on loan from Juventus but is back in action after a lengthy lay-off.

The Brazilian midfielder, whose sole senior appearance for the Reds came at Napoli in early September, posted on social media: "Stronger and closer. Come on!".

Virgil on the verge

Virgil van Dijk was also pictured outside on the grass at the £50m Kirkby facility.

But Monday's game against Everton may come too soon for the Netherlands captain as he continues his own recovery from a hamstring issue picked up in the first half of the 3-1 loss at Brentford in early January.

Van Dijk will step up his efforts further when Liverpool are put through their paces further over the weekend with another update set to be forthcoming on Friday morning from Klopp.

Thiago and Fabinho latest

Fabinho was part of the session having missed the weekend's loss at Wolves with illness, although Thiago Alcantara was not pictured during the workout and was instead undertaking his own individual training programme.

With four days to go until the Merseyside derby, Thiago was working towards his own tailored regime ahead of what is expected to be a return to team training later this week.

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