Dejan Lovren was back training with Liverpool in Melwood on Tuesday after six weeks on the sidelines and declared: "It's great to be back". The 30-year-old defender suffered a muscle injury in the final Champions League Matchday 6 game against Salzburg on 10 December - a double blow for the Reds' rearguard as Joel Matip also succumbed to injury.

Liverpool's sickbay clears out

Matip returned to full training along with Fabinho last week, though, after recovering from the knee problem he suffered in October, and now he and Lovren will be targeting a first-team return with the Premier League leaders.

Lovren and Matip have played a part at the back for Liverpool during their so-far highly successful season, with the Reds' rearguard marshalled by Virgil van Dijk. Joe Gomez has started at centre-back alongside Van Dijk in recent Premier League games, with Croatian Lovren and Cameroon international Matip facing a battle to earn favour from Klopp ahead of the England defender.

Lovren posted a series of pictures on Instagram of himself in training on Tuesday, with the caption: "Happy to be back with the team."

Wolves away, next up for Liverpool

Liverpool, who top the table on 64 points - 16 points ahead of nearest rivals Manchester City,  face Wolves at Molineux on Thursday in their Week 23 fixture.