James Milner believes the qualities of returning trio Philippe Coutinho, Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge can allow Liverpool to be more clinical with the chances which he says they are regularly creating.

The three forwards all confirmed their recveries from respective injury lay-offs in Tuesday night's FA Cup defeat at West Ham United after training at Melwood in the run-up to the clash.

Jürgen Klopp called upon Coutinho from the outset and the Brazilian duly rewarded his manager with an excellent equaliser shortly after half-time, rolling an intelligent free-kick under the wall and into the bottom corner before being withdrawn on the hour.

As Coutinho made way, the German introduced Sturridge and Origi as Liverpool pushed for a winner to send them into the next round, and though it was the Hammers who eventually sealed the 2-1 victory late in extra-time, Milner believes their impacts will tell in the coming games.

Repeating what the manager said post-match, insisting that there were positives to be taken from a gritty performance despite the defeat and being knocked out, Milner added that the forwards can add extra dimensions to the Reds' attack.

Coutinho rolls his free-kick under the West Ham wall to mark his return with a goal. (Picture: Getty Images)
Coutinho rolls his free-kick under the West Ham wall to mark his return with a goal. (Picture: Getty Images)

"There's a lot of pace there, a lot of ability and goals," declared the midfielder, when asked by Liverpoolfc.com what they could bring to the team. 

The vice-captain explained that Klopp's side are "creating chances at the moment" but admitted they "aren't quite going in" which having the attacking triumvirate back "should help."

Reds have missed Ings and Gomez too, says Milner

He called it "obviously big" missing the three and said their returns gives the manager "a lot of options" and "a lot of quality there" but said it "hasn't just been those three", bemoaning their unforunate luck to have had "players in and out" as well as the "two long-term injuries to Joe Gomez and Danny Ings."

The England international said he believes "some people forgot about them" because they don't see them "working so hard every day" and "the hours they're putting in" throughout their rehabilitations from anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

He praised them for both starting the season "really well" and said for "new signings at a new club, it's not easy" - raising the question: "Who knows what sort of impact they could've had this season?"

Regardless, Milner has confidence in the abilities of Ings and Gomez to come back and have "a massive impact" for the club next season and said the two will be like "having two new signings again."

The 30-year-old acknowledged the Reds' misfortune with injuries as "the tale of the season" and said "players in and out, getting a few back and then Joe [Allen] unfortunately being injured" sums up their luck, concluding that they've had one out and "a few in."

He called this "the frustrating part of this season" but lauded "the young boys" for stepping up to the plate and reiterated that having "Studge, Phil and Divock back is a massive plus" for the team.

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About the author
Charlie Malam
Digital Sports Writer at the Daily Express. First-class Staffordshire University Sports Journalism graduate. Formerly VAVEL UK's Liverpool FC editor and Deputy Editor-in-Chief. Contributor since June 2014.