Rodgers: Lucas and Sakho in contention
Brendan Rodgers has confirmed Lucas Leiva and Mamadou Sakho are in contention to return to the first team having stepped up their fitness regimes at Melwood.
The pair figured for Liverpool's U21s against West Ham United last Friday following injury and are now ready to be considered for senior duty once again after another week of work at the club's training complex.
"We're fine - we've had Lucas Leiva and young Sakho [come] back in," Rodgers told a pre-Manchester United press conference at Melwood when asked for an injury update.
"It's a great credit to them; when I gave players time off, they actually wanted to stay behind.
"It shows you the commitment of this squad. They had an opportunity to have a break, they'd been working very, very hard with the medical team, but they decided to stay and last Friday they travelled down themselves in a car to London to play in an U21 game.
"Both came through that fine and they've trained very well this week. They come into the squad and we're only got Jose Enrique missing."
A knee injury had ruled Lucas out since the clash with Aston Villa on January 18, while Sakho hasn't figured since sustaining a tear to his tendon at Chelsea in December.
Rodgers added: "Make no mistake, the two players are very valuable players for us in our squad and if they're called upon to play or come off the bench between now and the end of the season, of course we will use them.
"Lucas and Mamadou have got great commitment to what we're doing and we'll welcome them back into the squad."