Liverpool midfielder ahead of schedule and could make injury return by January end: Reports

Liverpool midfielder Arthur Melo is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a thigh injury and could return to the pitch by the end of January, The Daily Mail has reported.

The Brazilian midfielder joined the Reds on loan from Serie A giants Juventus on deadline day (1 September). Having missed the pre-season, Arthur was not deemed ready to become an active contributor to the senior team.

He started making progress by joining the U21 side, but a thigh injury and subsequent surgery in October threw a spanner in the works, ruling him out for three months. Through determination, Arthur has joined up with Liverpool teammates at their warm-weather camp in Dubai, reportedly two weeks ahead of schedule.

The Juventus loanee was initially doing recovery work in Brazil, primarily aiming to join up with teammates in Dubai. With that goal achieved, it has been claimed that doctors are hoping for him to return to optimum fitness by the end of January 2023.

The Merseysiders are not keen on rushing his recovery as they do not want to risk a relapse. However, it is expected that he will be back in fighting shape before four months, which was the anticipated recovery time after the surgery.

It has been claimed that Arthur has taken extra English lessons over the course of his recovery to improve fluency and communicate better on and off the pitch.

While Arthur is slowly returning to the fold, Jurgen Klopp and Co. have received a discouraging update on Luis Diaz. The Colombian, who is recovering from a knee ligament injury, has reportedly endured a setback in training and could take longer to return to action.

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Liverpool lose to Lyon in Dubai Super Cup

Jurgen Klopp’s Merseysiders succumbed to a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Lyon in their Dubai Super Cup friendly clash on Sunday (11 December). They also lost the penalty shootout 5-3 at the end of the game, missing out on the bonus point on offer.

Liverpool fielded a strong starting XI, featuring the likes of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah, Thiago Alcantara, and Andy Robertson. Fabio Carvalho drew first blood for the English outfit, putting them in front after a minute of play. Salah had the opportunity to double Liverpool's advantage in the 14th minute but saw his penalty saved by Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes.

Lyon eventually equalized through Alexandre Lacazette in the 41st minute. Twenty minutes into the second half, Bradley Barcola gave Lyon the lead before Lacazette sealed the win with a fine strike in the 83rd minute. In the shootout, Calvin Ramsay missed his kick for Liverpool, while Lyon converted all five of theirs to seal a 5-3 victory.