Jurgen Klopp handed Adam Lallana his first Premier League start in more than nine months on Saturday, and the Liverpool midfielder impressed in the 1-0 win at Huddersfield Town.
The 30-year-old lasted 69 minutes on his return from a series of injuries and provided Klopp with creativity and graft at John Smith’s Stadium.
No Liverpool player passed better than his 90 per cent accuracy in the final third on Saturday, while he also had the most duels, 15 for the Reds.
Pundit Ian Wright believes the performance will have given the midfielder a boost after a frustrating period on the sidelines.
"I think he'll be absolutely delighted," Wright said. "It's the setbacks that get you down.
"So for him to try to get back into this Liverpool side, who are flying, who are challenging Manchester City, it's gonna be tough for him."
Andy Townsend says Lallana faces a stiffer challenge for a place from signings made.
Klopp as recruited midfield trio Xherdan Shaqiri, Naby Keita and Fabinho since Lallana's last start on New Year's Day.
But he believes the Englishman’s skills still offer the Liverpool manager something no other team-mate can provide.
"He'll have seen a lot of players coming in and I'm sure he'd have had his moments where he's thinking to himself, 'I'm not going to get back into this team,' " Townsend says.
"But he's kept plugging away. He's a very talented, very clever, and a very different type of midfield player to what Liverpool have got, and maybe that's why he'll always get a game."
