Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Emre Can is back in the squad ahead of the Europa League semifinal second leg against Villarreal at Anfield on Thursday.

Can, 22, suffered an ankle injury in Liverpool's 4-3 win over Borussia Dortmund on April 14, sparking fears that his season could be over.

But the Germany international returned to training this week and could feature when the Reds look to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Villarreal.

Klopp said at his prematch news conference: "Emre Can is ready to return to the squad, for sure."

The coach also confirmed that Jordan Henderson, who has been sidelined with a knee injury, was making progress.

He said: "Henderson is in a good way for England [for Euro 2016], but I'm not sure about for Liverpool in this case because he has not been on the pitch yet.

"We have to see day by day how the improvement is, but he is in a good way."

Klopp added that he had yet to decide whether striker Daniel Sturridge would start the game, adding: "Yes, Daniel could be [starting], 100 percent -- but I have made no decision up until now about the lineup.

"We have to think how we will start in the game, how we can change in the game, how can we react in different situations. In all these thoughts, Daniel Sturridge is absolutely involved."

Klopp said he believed Liverpool had evolved during the seven months since he replaced Brendan Rodgers and added: "This team has built consistency step by step, this good shape and good moment we should use.

"These players gave me a lot of positive signs about their qualities and quality is always potential plus talent plus attitude. That is really good. If we play our best, then we can go to the final."

But he stressed that he would not use Villarreal's wild celebrations after their injury-time winner in the first leg as an extra motivation.

"They scored a goal in the last minute, so if they hadn't celebrated something would have been really wrong," he added.

"The only thing I thought in this moment was: 'Half-time. They have to come to Anfield.'

"I know how difficult it is, but I sense the chance more than I am afraid of something. So let's try."

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by ESPN staff

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