Liverpool defender Joe Gomez plays 45 minutes in Reds' 5-0 friendly win over Accrington Stanley

Liverpool have been handed a massive injury boost as Joe Gomez played for 45 minutes in his side's 5-0 win over Accrington Stanley at Melwood on 13 November.

The 19-year-old last featured for the Reds in Brendan Rodgers' penultimate match for Liverpool against FC Sion on 1 October. After Jurgen Klopp's appointment, the defender ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for England Under21s.

Klopp had James Milner, Loris Karius, Joel Matip, Lucas Leiva, Alberto Moreno, Dejan Lovren and Emre Can as the first team players who are at Melwood. The German manager used these players for the friendly tie against the League Two side.

Gomez returned to the pitch for the first time in 13 months when he came as a second half substitute. He returned to training last month and featured for the first time on Sunday and went on express his feelings on social networking site.

"Nice to get some minutes today... felt great to put the shirt back on," Gomez tweeted.

However, the former Borussia Dortmund manager revealed that the teenager will not be rushed back following his recovery from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

"It is a long way. He was injured for a long time and now it is a long way back, so there is no rush in it. We can give him time to come back in the right moment," Klopp told Liverpool's official website.

Liverpool will be wary of rushing Gomez back in order to avoid a similar situation like Danny Ings, who is out for the rest of the season with a second serious injury.

The former Burnley striker also ruptured his ligament in his knee last October and returned to action this season. However, Ings suffered another knee injury during his side's 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup win.

Earlier in October, Klopp provided an update on Gomez's recovery, suggesting that the defender has a long way before making his back into the first team.

"He is good. We always talk about all the players, but with the medical department and the fitness coaches we are talking about Joe," Klopp explained, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.

"He looks really good at the moment, but it is a long way – he was injured for a long time and now it is a long way back, so there is no rush in it.

"Thank God we don't have to put pressure on him, like we need tomorrow or something. He is still a young boy so we can give him time to come back in the right moment.

"In the next few weeks, maybe in the international break when we can get a game or something, he will play a few minutes and then we will have a look what makes sense, U23s or whatever. He looks good, he feels good. He is tired a lot, especially after the sessions, but that's normal he is all in a good way."