Liverpool Team News: Rodgers Confirms Double Fitness Boost Ahead Of Man Utd Clash

Liverpool will look to give their Champions League hopes a boost when they entertain Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

Ahead of the game, Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this afternoon and has given Liverpoolfc.com a team news update.

The Northern Irishman confirmed that Lucas Leiva is back in full training and will be assessed on Saturday to see if he’ll be in contention to face United.

Leiva has been on the sidelines for the past six weeks after suffering an adductor injury during the Reds 0-0 draw with Everton back on February 7, but he’s now fully-fit and pushing for a recall.

Rodgers told the clubs website:

“Lucas Leiva is back, which is great. We’ll assess him tomorrow and see where he’s at.”

It’s a major boost for Liverpool to have Leiva available again as he was in excellent form before he picked up his injury last month. However, the Brazilian international may struggle to automatically regain his first team place as Joe Allen and Jordan Henderson have forged an impressive partnership recently while skipper Steven Gerrard has also just returned to fitness.

Rodgers also gave an update on Mario Balotelli and confirmed that the striker is also back in training and could be in contention to return to the squad this weekend.

The controversial Italian has been out for 9 days through illness but returned to training earlier this week and Rodgers is pleased with the strength of his squad at this stage of the season.

He continued:

“He [Balotelli] was ill and been off for nine days. He has just started to train in the last couple of days, but he is feeling much better.

“One or two other players are returning, so the squad is strong and in good condition.”

While he may be a useful player to call upon from the bench on Sunday, Balotelli is highly unlikely to start against United as Daniel Sturridge is almost certain to lead the line up front.

Liverpool go into the game sitting just two points off fourth-placed Man Utd so this game is going to be vital in deciding how the top four shapes up at the end of the season.

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