Naby Keita has been backed to shine when he makes his first competitive Liverpool appearance since last season’s Champions League semi-finals.
The Guinean is back in training having overcome the recurrence of an adductor injury initially sustained in the first leg of that epic battle with Barcelona last term.
It was during the Reds’ Community Shield meeting with Manchester City that Keita suffered the setback, meaning he has failed to play a single minute of the new campaign.
But the long wait is likely to be ended when Jurgen Klopp’s side travel to face MK Dons in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening.
Asked if the midfielder might feature tomorrow, assistant coach Pep Lijnders said: “Yes. I will not give the team but…
“He is in a really good way. What a boy! He makes our build-up play completely different, he creates unpredictability [in] how the ball moves forward.
“He’s an important player and hopefully we can use him in the next weeks. Tomorrow will be a day where he will shine.”
Another player who looks set for a maiden outing of the season in Milton Keynes is goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
With Adrian in line for a rest and Alisson Becker still injured, the Irishman is expected to be given his first-team debut between the sticks.
“Yeah, absolutely. He was a little bit unlucky in pre-season otherwise he would have played already more games,” Lijnders added.
“He’s a talented goalie and with all talented boys it’s about in the right moments giving the right opportunities in the contact stuff, when they are with the senior players around, when there is something at stake.
“That can really give them the next step and the confidence to grow.”
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