Liverpool's Jürgen Klopp has confirmed that Danny Ings will be involved in their EFL Cup fourth round meeting with Tottenham Hotspur as he lauded the striker's hard work in returning to full fitness.

The England international was unable to make an appearance under Jürgen Klopp until a cameo off ofthe bench on the final day of last season, after sustaining a serious knee injury shortly after the German's arrival on Merseyside in October.

He has since worked hard over the summer, and over the opening weeks of the current campaign, to work his way back to sharpness and has scored seven goals in a productive spell for Michael Beale's Under-23s.

He has made one appearance so far this season, coming on as a substitute in a 3-0 win over Derby County in this same competition, and Klopp says he will reward Ings' progress with a place in the squad against Spurs.

Klopp praises attitude and application of Ings

Speaking about the 24-year-old's efforts to return to fitness, the Reds boss said that Ings has been "really good" and explained: "If I was being a little less sensitive, I could say that it's his job to do [to get back fit]. But I am sensitive and I know it isn't easy for him. He takes the situation in a perfect way."

He said that Ings "is now fit" and that "everything is good" after his time in the U23s, in which he impressed with a number of fine performances.

Klopp said that it is "all for" the former Burnley man's career and that with his "attitude" then "everything will be good in the end" although at the moment his situation "is not easy" because of the competition for places in the squad.

The German manager acknowledged that there is "not a lot of space" in his squad for "the few minutes you could give" with Ings below Roberto Firmino, Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi in the current pecking order.

"You have to build a squad for different things to do, and not just have a third or fourth striker on the bench," Klopp told journalists, insisting that Ings has used his game time in the U23s and that he "will be involved in the squad 100 per-cent" and that "with the rest" they will "have to see."

Ings being unable to make the 18 shows the strength of this squad, says Klopp

Ings picked up his anterior cruciate ligament problem in jusr his first training session under Klopp, leading to a seven month long lay-off after he had initially started well at the club.

Following a handful of goals in his first few games, as well as making his debut for England, Ings' unfortunate setback meant to had to watch from the sidelines as his teammates reached the League Cup final and the Europa League final, ultimately losing both.

On whether he had any sympathy for the striker and his time out of action, Klopp admitted he has "a lot" and that he "cannot talk about the individual situation [of a player] every day" because he has "about 25 players."

But he said that they are "completely clear" about "the way and the things" that Ings needs to do to re-establish himself in the team, calling him "a nice guy" as well as "a wonderful player."

He insisted that Ings having to miss out on many of the Reds' matchday squads so far this season shows "a sign of the strength of the squad", insisting: "You can be a really good player and you cannot even be in the squad. That is really possible and a sign for the strength of Liverpool FC."

VAVEL Logo
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.