Federico Chiesa makes Liverpool return as Arne Slot welcomes back two more players

Federico Chiesa makes Liverpool return as Arne Slot welcomes back two more players

Liverpool have continued their preparations for the Premier League clash at Southampton on Sunday

Federico Chiesa of Liverpool during a training session at the AXA Training Centre on November 22 2024 (Image: Nikki Dyer - LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images )

Liverpool will aim to maintain their momentum when they resume after the international break with a visit to struggling Southampton on Sunday. The Reds go into the weekend round of Premier League fixtures five points ahead of champions Manchester City at the top of the table after nine wins from 11 top-flight games and are unbeaten on the road this season.

Slot's squad were at the AXA Training Centre on Friday afternoon to continue their preparations for the match before travelling down to the South Coast.

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But what could be gleaned from the session?

Fede le grand

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Federico Chiesa has been rarely spotted since his move from Juventus in the summer, his minutes limited by a lack of pre-season, fitness concerns and having to adjust to the intensity of English football.

But while the Italy international remains a little short of making a first outing since late September, there was a notable step forward in his progress by featuring in the full session at Kirkby on Friday.

Chiesa was all smiles throughout the exercises, particularly when spotted sharing a joke with Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz.

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Jayden joy

Chiesa wasn't the only positive at the AXA Training Centre with two more players making an appearance with the first team after spells out through injury.

Harvey Elliott, who has featured for Liverpool just once this season and has been out since early September, returned to training with the under-21s last week and looked lively back among the seniors.

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And 18-year-old forward Jayden Danns, out since the summer with a back complaint, was another stepping up from a recent return training with the U21s.

Jota wait

The Reds, though, are not quite up to their full complement, with Trent Alexander-Arnold missing as he recovers from the low grade hamstring injury suffered a fortnight ago against Aston Villa.

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Diogo Jota was back on the grass but was training to an individual programme having been absent for a month with an impact injury to his upper body.

And Alisson Becker was also not involved in team training having also returned to the field this week after a hamstring problem.

Young chance

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As well as Danns, there was an opportunity for a couple of other Liverpool Academy hopefuls to stake their claims in front of Slot and the first-team coaching staff.

Trey Nyoni, the 17-year-old midfielder, has been a regular around the senior set-up and was once again involved having made a first-team appearance in the League Cup at Brighton last month.

And Rio Ngumoha, the exciting 16-year-old winger snapped up from Chelsea in the summer, also took part in the session.

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