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Liverpool News: Defender return, Exeter team news, Sturridge bid, Klopp on Benteke
EXPRESS SPORT brings you the latest news from Anfield.
Christian Benteke - Spotlight on
Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Jon Flanagan will return to the Liverpool squad for tonight’s FA Cup replay with Exeter.
The full-back hasn’t played a competitive match for the Reds since the end of the 2013/14 season because of a serious knee injury but Flanagan has featured for the Under-21 in recent weeks and he’s been training with the first team at Melwood.
“Jon is in a really good way and we’re all happy about this,” said Klopp. “If nothing happens and he feels good he will be on the bench.”
Jon Flanagan is back in the Liverpool squad after almost two years away
Klopp will again turn to his youngsters as Exeter visit Anfield tonight and he’s expected to pick the likes of Brad Smith, Cameron Brannagan and Connor Randall.
Simon Mignolet, who signed a new five-and-a-half-year deal earlier this week, is likely to start in goal after Adam Bodgan’s shaky performance in the first tie where Liverpool were lucky to escape with a 2-2 draw.
Klopp has told Liverpool’s youngsters to put their football education before their bank balances, with the likes of Jerome Sinclair, Jordan Rossiter and Joao Teixeira all embroiled in contract stand-offs.
The jury’s out for Liverpool fans on their £32.5million striker Christian Benteke, who’s only scored seven goals in his 24 matches since his arrival from Aston Villa.
"We saw a lot of games he played in, keeping the ball, technical skills, of course the header but not only that, finishing skills, all this stuff,” said Klopp. “From all those things he is a complete striker but at the end you have to work for it.”