LIVERPOOL WELCOME ‘NEW SIGNINGS’ AS JURGEN KLOPP WORDS TAKE ON NEW MEANING

It’s a phrase that surely grates among the more transfer-minded of Liverpool’s fanbase. And Jurgen Klopp isn’t shy of using it. Several times during his Anfield tenure has the Reds boss referred to a player having recovered from a long spell on the sidelines through injury as being “like a new signing”. And there’s every chance those words will be aired sooner rather than later as Liverpool’s treatment room finally starts to clear after a busy start to the campaign. This time, however, there will be more than a little truth should Klopp repeat his assertion.

On Tuesday, the Champions League visit of Rangers saw Liverpool able to name their strongest matchday squad since the Community Shield win over Manchester City, with three players having their first involvement since the opening Premier League weekend. The most senior was Ibrahima Konate, sidelined since injuring his knee in the final pre-season friendly against Strasbourg on July 31. Konate, who had become a more regular starter during the closing months of last season, will join Joe Gomez in challenging for the centre-back positions currently held by Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip.

Caoimhin Kelleher was also among the substitutes having come through 90 minutes for the under-21s at the weekend. The goalkeeper hasn’t featured since the first week of pre-season when he aggravated an injury suffered on international duty in June, and will now compete with Adrian to be deputy to Alisson Becker.

And, for the first time since his summer arrival from Aberdeen, teenager Calvin Ramsay was on bench duty having recovered from the operation that has thus far delayed his debut. Klopp has stated the 18-year-old right-back will have minutes for the U21s also before hopefully easing the burden on Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back.