Liverpool Injury Boost: Daniel Sturridge Returns to First-Team Training

Liverpool have received a major injury boost following Daniel Sturridge's return to training on Thursday.

The England international has been out of action for a month with a thigh injury he picked up prior to the Three Lions Euro 2016 qualifier clash against Switzerland in Basel.

Brendan Rodgers will be pleased to see his main striker back on the training pitch and he could have Sturridge back for the trip to Loftus Road to face Queens Park Rangers next Sunday.

The Reds have been struggling in the final third in recent matches with replacement strikers Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli yet to score a goal in a Liverpool shirt in the Premier League.

Sturridge had recently revealed that the current injury absence has affected him mentally, but he is looking forward to returning to action and scoring goals and winning games for Liverpool.

The Anfield club have missed the strikers pace upfront and Rodgers will be hoping that he makes a quick return to first team action.

Meanwhile, even the Blue half of Merseyside has reason to celebrate as Everton boss Roberto Martinez has confirmed that midfield star Ross Barkley is set to return to first team training on Monday.

This will come as a big boost to the Toffees as the midfielder has been out of action from the start of the Premier League season. The former Wigan Athletic manager expects the England international to be back in the squad in a couple of weeks.

"On Monday we expect Ross, with the green light from the medical department, to join the group," Martinez said, as quoted by the Daily Mail.

"Now it's a matter of getting him match fit and getting him up to speed. Ross has been working really well and I don't expect any setbacks. I expect Ross to have a real clear path to get his match fitness back."

"From Monday I want him to be part of it and in probably a couple of weeks we should be able to see Ross in the squad," the Toffees boss added.