Danny Ings
Danny Ings (L) has returned to training with the first team after spending over six months out with a cruciate ligament injury Getty

Liverpool have been handed a massive boost ahead of their final games of the season following Danny Ings' return to training after recovering from a cruciate ligament injury he sustained just prior to Jurgen Klopp taking over the reins at Anfield. The striker trained with the first team ahead of their Europa League semi-final second-leg clash against Villarreal on Thursday (5 May).

The former Burnley striker was in good form for the Reds before sustaining the injury and could play a part before the end of the season, which sees Liverpool fighting for a top six finish in the Premier League and vying for a place in the final of Europe's second-tier club competition. The German manager admitted that he is yet to decide on Ings's participation this season after he resumed light training but his return to the first-team setup could speed up the process.

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"Danny Ings and Emre Can trained alongside their teammates at Melwood as Liverpool geared up for Thursday night's Europa League clash with Villarreal," a statement on the official Liverpool site read.

Joe Gomez, who got injured the same time as the England international but is yet to return to training, was delighted for his colleague. He expressed his happiness through his official social media account, with the hope that Ings will make a quick return to scoring goals for the Reds.

"Buzzing for my bro back in training. Seen him work so hard he'll be back scoring soon," Gomez wrote on his official Twitter account on Thursday (5 May).

Ings joined Liverpool from Burnley before the start of the current campaign following the expiry of his contract. However, the Reds were entitled to pay a compensatory package, which has now been set at £8m ($11.6), following a tribunal's ruling. The Clarets will be delighted with the decision as it will come handy as they begin to plan for the next season in the Premier League after securing automatic promotion from the Championship earlier in the month.

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