Joe Cole has given Brendan Rodgers a fitness boost ahead of the start of the 2012-13 Barclays Premier League season by returning to training after his hamstring injury.

The England winger picked up the knock during the Europa League tie with Gomel in Belarus, but resumed training with the first-team squad last week.

"I trained on Thursday for the first time after the injury and it feels good," Cole told Liverpoolfc.com.

"It's good to be back around the squad and available for selection again. I've only missed two weeks, so I feel good fitness-wise as we had a good long pre-season and I just need some games now.

"It was frustrating having to come off in the first game of the season but that's one of those things you have to deal with as a footballer. There's never a good time to get injured but luckily it wasn't a major thing and I'm back now raring to go and raring to be part of the team.

"I've had a good pre-season. I've trained really well and the training was really intense. I really enjoyed the games we played in and playing at Fenway Park was great. I enjoyed the pre-season. It does what it says on the tin - it gets you fit and that's the main thing."

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