Adam Lallana relishing injury-free start to Liverpool season

Liverpool and England attacker Adam Lallana is looking forward to starting the season injury-free after seeing the beginning of his Anfield career derailed by fitness problems.

Lallana featured for his country at last summer's World Cup, before suffering a knee injury after four days of training with the Reds. He resultantly missed their entire pre-season and the start of the campaign.

But with no major international tournament this summer, Lallana has had the opportunity to rest prior to a full pre-season with Liverpool.

Brendan Rodgers' side travel to the Far East and Australia this summer before facing Stoke City in the opening match of the 2015/16 season, and Lallana is relishing the opportunity to properly prepare.

"I missed pre-season last year with injury and I was disappointed to get off to a slow start," he told the Liverpool Echo.

"This year I'm back raring to go and it was quite a short summer because of the England games we had.

"But there's a good feel around the place and a few of the new signings are here so we're looking forward to getting working.

"It wasn't the only injury I had, I was stop-start probably three or four times throughout the season, which any player will tell you doesn't help.

"Hopefully I can get a good base under my belt this pre-season and when we tour and start the season firing."

After the arrival of three players from Southampton 12 month ago, Nathaniel Clyne has joined the former south coast contingent after his summer move from St Mary's.

Clyne revealed upon completing his move to Anfield that he consulted Lallana before putting pen to paper on his Liverpool deal.

Though Lallana is delighted to have Clyne at Liverpool, he admits having to face his fellow England international in training is a daunting prospect.

"For me, playing against him in training, I'd never want to be playing against him," he explained.

"He's very aggressive and he's even added goals to his game, he obviously scored here at Anfield the first game of last year.

"I'm sure the fans have had brief moments where they've watched him play, especially for England, he came on the scene last season and has done very well and is a regular member of the squad now.

"I played with him for two or three years at Southampton and he's a solid right-back – you know what you're going to get from him every game.

"He's only going to get better playing here with better players around him and I'm sure the manager will have his ideas and want to improve him even more."