Soccer

Steven Gerrard returns to Liverpool training on break from Galaxy

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard 
Liverpool's Steven Gerrard  Liverpool's Steven Gerrard 

FORMER Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was back in familiar surroundings today as he joined the first-team squad for training.

The 35-year-old, currently on a post-season Major League Soccer break from Los Angeles Galaxy, was at the club's Melwood training complex to be put through his paces by Jurgen Klopp.

Gerrard is keen to maintain his fitness levels prior to his return to pre-season in California in mid-January ahead of his first full campaign in MLS and recently met with Klopp to finalise the details, having previously agreed the opportunity with former boss Brendan Rodgers.

"I'm very excited to go in, obviously I've been there for a very long time and I've come out for a short period but I'm looking forward going into the new set-up to having a look at what Klopp's all about tactically, what he demands of his players and how much he's changed since the Brendan era," Gerrard told BT Sport last week.

"You just watch him in those interviews and you just love watching him. He's got that infectious personality and I'm excited to go and spend some time with him."

Gerrard, who was at Anfield on Sunday for the 1-0 win over Swansea, will pull on the red shirt again, albeit for the Legends team in a match against their Australian counterparts in Sydney on January 7.

Also among those training on Monday were playmaker Philippe Coutinho, who missed the victory over Swansea with a hamstring problem, and Jon Flanagan, who has not featured for the club since May 2014 after a couple of knee operations.