'Pace, ability, goals... trio's return is a massive plus'
The 'pace, ability and goals' back in the Liverpool team with the return of Philippe Coutinho, Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge gives James Milner confidence that the chances being created will start to be converted more regularly.
Jürgen Klopp used all three attackers during the FA Cup defeat against West Ham United on Tuesday night following their return to training at Melwood the previous week.
Coutinho featured for the first hour at the Boleyn Ground and found the net three minutes into the second half with a clever free-kick dispatched underneath the wall.
With the score level at 1-1, the manager then sent on Origi and Sturridge as the Reds pushed for a winner that was instead produced by the Hammers in the final seconds of extra-time.
Klopp insisted there were positives to take from the performance despite the obvious disappointment of being knocked out, and Milner expects the aforementioned trio to help Liverpool ensure their play is translated into goals.
“There’s a lot of pace there, a lot of ability and goals,” the vice-captain told Liverpoolfc.com. “We are creating chances at the moment but they aren’t quite going in so to have those three back should help that.
“Missing those three is obviously big and it gives us a lot of options and there’s a lot of quality there. It hasn’t just been those three, there have been players in and out and the two long-term [injuries] in Joe Gomez and Danny Ings.
“Some people forget about them when they don’t see them but we see them working so hard every day and the hours they’re putting in.
“They both started the season really well and as new signings at a new club it’s not easy, so who knows what sort of impact they could’ve had this season? I’m sure they’ll have a massive impact for us next year and it’ll be like having two new signings again.
“That seems to have been the tale of the season, players in and out, getting a few back and then Joe [Allen] unfortunately being injured now, so you’ve got one out and a few in.
“That’s been the frustrating part of this season but the young boys have stepped up and to have Studge, Phil and Divock back is a massive plus for us.”