One long-term lay off is demolarizing enough, but two is just cruel.
Liverpool midfielder Emre Can has backed stricken forward Danny Ings to return even stronger following yet another lengthy injury lay-off, the Liverpool Echo report.
The former Burnley striker had only recently returned from over a year out of the first-team after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the Merseyside derby in October last year, spending the last few months building up his fitness with a string of appearances for the club’s under-23s.
However, after finally making his return to the senior squad in Liverpool’s EFL Cup win against Tottenham Hotspur last week, Ings was dealt another devastating blow with the news that he will be restricted to the sidelines for up to nine months with a serious knee injury.
Jurgen Klopp admitted he was ‘gutted’ by Ings’ latest setback, and Can has echoed his bosses sentiments but believes his troubled team-mate will return stronger than ever.
“It’s very hard and I feel very sorry for him,” said the German international, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.
“He’s a very good boy and it’s very hard for him, because he came back from injury and he now has a very long injury again. He played his first game again at Anfield and that happened. It’s very unlucky.
“But Danny is a very strong guy and he will come back stronger. We will be behind him, of course, and help him.”
However, his team-mates kind sentiments are unlikely to lessen the blow of another demoralizing injury blow that is set to pour further doubt upon his Liverpool career.
Klopp refused to sanction a temporary exit for Ings in the summer despite Sunderland’s interest, according to the Daily Mail, but the improving understanding between the likes of Roberto Firmino (below), Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana in Liverpool’s attacking positions, plus Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi offering a more orthodox alternative from the bench, means the 24-year-olds Liverpool career may well be over before it truly began.
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