HE IS STILL ADAM FINE PLAYER

Klopp backs injury-cursed Lallana to regain form & first team place

A YEAR ago, Adam Lallana was the first name on the team-sheet for both club and country.

Now the midfielder must sit on the bench at Anfield like a kid stuck outside the sweetshop, as his team-mates serve up some truly delicious fare.

It is injury, not loss of form, which has cost him his place in the Liverpool starting XI – restricting him to just one start in the Premier League and one in the FA Cup – all season.

Yet with time ticking down on his chance of forcing his way back into the England reckoning for the World Cup,

Lallana knows he must find a way through the attacking talent to claim a part in the Reds’ Champions League charge.

He could start against Porto tonight though, given a 5-0 first leg lead offers Liverpool the chance to rotate.

And if he had any doubts about his prospects, then they were eased by his manager Jurgen Klopp, who still believes the player is indispensable, if not yet an automatic choice again.

“Adam, absolutely was an integral part of the team. And even with the competition we have, Adam is still important to us,” the

German explained.

“They are all desperate to LIVERPOOL play. But he needed time. Life is to learn from your mistakes. We made this mistake – he looked fit (but wasn’t). “Maybe two little setbacks – not the biggest setbacks, but in and out, in and out, and that makes no sense. So now we have to build with him. He is coming close though.”

With a place in the Champions League last eight all but certain, Lallana has at least 11 more games this season to press his claims for the World Cup.

He was one of England’s most important players last season but then a thigh injury picked up in the summer ruled him out until November.

The 29-year-old returned for the visit of Chelsea at the end of that month, but even though Klopp admitted Liverpool brought him back too quickly, the manager believes now is the time for him to shine.

“Of course he now has no rhythm, which is another thing. But we still need him, we will use him,” the Reds boss (inset, with Lallana) said.

“He is cool, he sees the quality of the team is good, but he is always one of the guys who push the level in training on to the next level, because he is always so intense.

“The time will come for him.” PORTO TV TIMES: Live on BT Sports 1 from 7.30pm