Soccer

Daniel Sturridge starts: Liverpool name their XI for season defining semi-final

English striker starts having being an unused substitute during Europa League first leg loss

Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge starts for Liverpool, Emre Can is also in Jurgen Klopp’s XI. Photograph: EPA
Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge starts for Liverpool, Emre Can is also in Jurgen Klopp’s XI. Photograph: EPA
Thu May 05 2016 - 19:07

Daniel Sturridge has been named in Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool team for Thursday night's Europa League semi-final second leg at Anfield.

Liverpool manager Klopp has also named his fellow German Emre Can in midfield for the season defining fixture - despite him only returning from injury to full training this week.

Sturridge will head an attack including Brazilians Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino, with Adam Lallana also selected to face La Liga outfit Villarreal.

Kolo Toure retains his place at centre back, while Christian Benteke must be content with a place on the bench. There's no place alongside him though for Danny Ings, the cruciate ligament victim who has sat out the guts of the season had returned to training last week but Klopp has opted against including him at Anfield.

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The Spanish side are up 1-0 after the first leg, kick-off is at 8.05pm.

LIVERPOOL: Mignolet; Clyne. Lovren, Toure, Moreno; Can, Milner; Lallana, Firmino, Coutinho; Sturridge.