Ings has played in every pre-season game so far following an injury-hit season.
Liverpool forward Danny Ings has admitted he is playing catch-up during this pre-season as he continues to get minutes under his belt following his injury lay-off last term.
Ings spent October until May on the sidelines because of an ACL injury but has had three 45-minute spells during the Reds’ pre-season games so far and opened the scoring in yesterday’s 2-0 win over Wigan Athletic, his second goal since returning from injury.
The striker told the official Liverpool website: “I’m playing catch-up really because I obviously didn’t get to train with [Klopp] and the other staff, and get to see the methods.
“What I did do was watch from the sideline and try to pick up as much as I could. I’m just trying to put that into games now. My biggest aim is to get fit and get to how I was before I got injured.”
As far as his form goes, Ings admitted that he could have more goals to his name so far as chances have fallen to him in each of the three outings but the main thing is he is glad to be back playing football again.
It will be interesting to see how Ings does for the first-team in the coming season as it was a hammer blow when he was ruled out as he seemed to be finding some good form for the Reds prior to Klopp’s arrival.
He is likely to be competing with Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi and Roberto Firmino for a place in the side, as it looks likely that Klopp will start with one player leading the line in most games if the pre-season outings are anything to go by.
One doubts that Ings will start the season as a main striker but could be the kind of player that will force his way into Klopp’s thinking by hard work on the training ground and potentially as an impact substitute.
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