• Premier League

Liverpool given defensive boost as Sakho nears return

Mamadou Sakho hopes to be involved against Manchester City this Sunday © Getty Images

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Liverpool centre-back Mamadou Sakho has confirmed he will return to training on Saturday following a hip injury that has forced him to miss two matches.

The France international did not play when Brendan Rodgers' side won 2-0 at Southampton in the Premier League last Sunday.

He will be absent again as they defend a 1-0 lead against Besiktas in their Europa League round of 32 second leg match on Thursday.

Dejan Lovren, who deputised for Sakho in a reshuffled central back three at St Mary's Stadium, is likely to stand in again. But Sakho has indicated he has a chance of being available for this Sunday's Premier League home match against Manchester City.

He tweeted: "Good news as following the tests I had at the beginning of the week and after the medical staff's opinion, I can go back to training with the group on Saturday! Meanwhile, I wish good luck to the whole team for tonight!"

Former Paris Saint-Germain captain Sakho, 24, had a frustrating first half of the season. He walked out of Anfield in disappointment before the 1-1 draw against Everton on September 27 after learning he would not be involved in the match.

He later apologised on Twitter, but then suffered a thigh injury and did not play for the club again until December 17. But he has since become a regular starter, benefiting from manager Brendan Rodgers' decision to switch from a flat back four to a three-man central defence.

A win for Liverpool on Sunday would move them into the Premier League's top four - and a Champions League qualification spot - if Southampton fail to win at West Brom and Manchester United lose at home to Sunderland on the Saturday.

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