All in the head for Leiva

Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva admits overcoming a psychological hurdle is the next step in his bid to regain full fitness.

The Brazil international has done months of rehabilitation on the physical side after surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee in December. But with the new season looming on the horizon, signalled by the return to training of all the players not involved in summer internationals on Wednesday, Lucas knows the next test will come when he returns to the pitch.

"The first four weeks I saw my knee it was very bad looking and it comes through your head that you might not be at the same level you were before," he told Press Association Sport. "But at the same time you see big players who had the same injury come back and be even better."

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