After spending the better part of the last two years on the sidelines, Liverpool fullback Jon Flanagan is set to return to action for the Reds Under-21 side against Fleetwood Town later today as he looks to work himself back into the first team picture.
Out of action since the end of the 2014 season, the 22-year old picked up a knee problem during pre-season training that has kept him under the knife and on the treatment table for far too long. Stepping up his recovery over the last couple of weeks, Flanagan will still be quite a ways off from match fitness, but he could begin to feature in Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp’s plans in the next month or so — something that will be a relief for the German manager.
With Joe Gomez out for the rest of the year with a knee problem of his own, the Reds have been light on fullbacks with only Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno possessing the kind of first team experience needed to help keep the ship watertight against Premier League opposition. While both Brad Smith and Connor Randall have been handed chances in the senior squad, neither are quite ready for prime-time quite yet.
Versatile in his ability to both defend and bomb forward, Flanagan has shown that he can fill in on either flank, giving him not only the chance to compete for two positions, but allowing Klopp to rest either Clyne or Moreno in favour of the Liverpool born defender.
