Liverpool handed major injury boost as £45m star set to feature in Newcastle United clash

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed he is set for a major boost ahead of his side's meeting with Newcastle United on New Year's Day.

The Magpies will travel to Anfield on the back of an abysmal performance in their Boxing Day home clash with Nottingham Forest as Eddie Howe's side were condemned to a 3-1 defeat by a hat-trick from former United striker Chris Wood.

That loss extended Newcastle's run of form to just one win in seven games in all competitions and they now head to Merseyside looking for only a second win in 29 league games at Anfield. Their bid to improve that poor record against Jurgen Klopp's has not been helped by the news Liverpool have received some positive news on one of their forward players.

Former Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Diogo Jota has spent the last month on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury - but the Portugal international was back in the Reds squad for their Boxing Day win Burnley and marked his return with his side's second goal after being introduced as a late substitute.

Klopp was asked about the performance and Jota's return to fitness after the win and the German boss confirmed the £45m signing 'will be ready' for Monday's meeting with Newcastle.

He said: "I really liked the game we played, but we should have scored more and that’s clear. Then the game stays open and Burnley have massive chances to score [at] the second post – maybe even the first they had, if I am right: the finish when he mishits the ball. I am pretty sure that was the first chance [for them], but in the end we deserved to win the game and it was two perfect goalscorers, I would say, with Darwin and then Diogo.

"We sneaked him in somehow on the squad list because he trained only twice and the medical department wanted to give him extra training and I said he can have that in Burnley. He had that tonight and now he can train tomorrow properly and then he will be ready for Newcastle, which is really helpful. Two-nil, no injuries, all good."