Liverpool Midfielder Thiago Alcantara Pictured in Training Ahead of Injury Return

Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara was pictured training individually on Thursday as he edges closer to a return to action.

The Spaniard was one of the most hotly anticipated arrivals in the Premier League for the 2020/21 season after joining from Bayern Munich in a £25m deal, but he has been restricted to just two top-flight appearances in a Liverpool shirt thus far.

Thiago suffered a knee injury in the latter stages of October's feisty Merseyside derby and has not featured since, but reports suggest that he is expected to be in line for a return towards the end of December.

The former Bayern Munich man was pictured in training for Liverpool on Thursday as he continued his recovery with a fitness session at the AXA Training Centre.

Liverpool's official club website confirmed Thiago underwent work at the club's rehab gym, before completing a fitness session on the grass.

The 29-year-old made his Liverpool debut against Chelsea in September, coming off the bench at half-time and catching the eye with his mesmeric vision, intelligence and ability to fizz the ball about.

He was absent for Liverpool's next four matches after struggling with fitness, before returning for the Merseyside derby.

However, Thiago was on the receiving end of a dangerous Richarlison challenge in the dying stages of the clash at Goodison, for which the Everton forward received a straight red card.

The midfielder is one of a number of players currently sidelined for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp's depleted side go about defending their Premier League title. Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are long-term absentees, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Diogo Jota are also out with injury.

Klopp has frequently called for the reintroduction of the five substitutions law, but this was voted down for the third time by ten Premier League clubs on Thursday.