Jurgen Klopp says “the door is wide open” for talented striker Rhian Brewster to make his mark at Liverpool as he confirmed that Virgil van Dijk is fit for Friday's Premier League clash with Southampton.
England youth international striker Brewster, who turned 19 on Monday, made his eagerly-awaited comeback after 14 months out injured in a friendly for the under-23s last week.
Brewster, who scored twice, took a blow to the hip but it's only a minor setback and Klopp is relishing the impact he will make over the coming months and years.
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“It was good to see Rhian back,” Klopp said.
“It’s nice having him in training. It was his birthday this week, 19 years old, crazy. So much to come. Get him fit, keep him fit and then the door is wide open for him.”
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain isn't yet ready to be considered for first-team selection after his long absence but Klopp has virtually a fully-fit squad.
Van Dijk damaged his ankle in last weekend's win over Tottenham but he has since recovered.
“No major concerns, actually,” said Klopp as he looked ahead to Friday's game at St Mary's.
“After the game, you think about Virg, but he trained okay, completely normal. It was only a second recovery day but he took part in that, and I heard nothing different that he could maybe not train today.”
Van Dijk will line up against his former club having established himself as arguably the finest centre-back in Europe. He has proved to be worth every penny of the £75million Liverpool paid Saints in January 2018.
“That’s what you expect, and what you hope for. If a player comes in you hope he makes the whole team better,” Klopp said.
“He’s so important for us, not only as a player but as a person as well. I couldn’t say a bad word about him even if I wanted to. But on the other hand, he knows like all the others know, you need the boys around you.
“Usually defending is teamwork. That helps him a lot, and he helps us a lot.
“The boys up front are usually attacking, close the right gaps, give him the opportunity to show his strengths. If you put the opposition under pressure and they have to play the long ball, then the ball in the air is obviously a big strength of Virg.
“Yes he improved us, and I think he's improved as well since he is here. He’s a different player to the one he was at Southampton.
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“He was good there, really, really good, but with all the different games he played now, and being part of the Champions League quarter-final, semi-final, final, all that stuff, that all helps you as a player.
“And for a centre-half he is still young, there is still a lot to come. Hopefully he can stay healthy and everything will be fine.”
