Friday 25 March 2016 14:36, UK
Jurgen Klopp believes Jon Flanagan is back to his best after returning to the Liverpool squad in January after 19 months out with a knee injury.
Flanagan has been eased back into the first-team set-up after undergoing two operations on his left knee and the Liverpool boss has been careful not to overwork him.
The full-back was deliberately left out of Liverpool's Europa League squad by the manager to ensure he could rest and recover between Premier League fixtures.
The Liverpool boss is delighted at the rate of Flanagan's progression over the last few weeks and that played a part in the club's decision to reward him with a new three-year contract.
Flanagan captained Liverpool for the first time in last weekend's defeat at Southampton and Klopp feels the player is being rewarded for his patience.
"Of course, in the past it was a difficult situation for Flano because of injury, but now it's a good moment and life can go on," Klopp told the Liverpool website.
"The sun shines again. It's a really good moment for him, very important, and now he can start getting fit because before he was not at 100 per cent. That's completely normal when you have been injured."
The former Borussia Dortmund manager has since taken those Liverpool players not on international duty to the Canary Islands for warm weather training as Liverpool prepare for the final run-in and Klopp has been pleased with the 23-year-old's participation in each training session.
"He was out for too long, but lately from the pre-season on, he's been like his old self, what he was before his injury," he said.
"In this moment everything is OK. He has made all the sessions. No rest, no special rest for him - really good."
