Tiago Ilori Back at Liverpool, In Line For FA Cup Start

Villa reportedly paid Liverpool a £1million fee to sign Ilori on deadline day on a season-long loan, with the option of making the deal permanent for around £6 million in the summer, but the former Portugal Under-21 worldwide never managed a senior appearance for the club.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are now without Mamadou Sakho, Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovren and Kolo Toure – all four of their recognised central defenders.

Aston Villa manager Remi Garde has revealed that he sent Tiago Ilori back to Liverpool as the defender was not fit.

Jerome Sinclair, who hasn’t played first-team football since the home defeat to Crystal Palace back in May, starts up front with Benteke.

Speaking to the media – these quotes from Sky Sports – from his pre Wycombe Wanderers press conference, the gaffer was obviously asked the Ilori question and he stated that the deal cutting short his time with us had already been done and dusted and he was now back with his parent club already.

“I have a lot of options in that part of the field, there was a lot of competition, and he was not happy not to play”.

Midfielder Stewart, who joined Liverpool from Tottenham in the summer of 2014, has been recalled from his stint at Swindon Town.

Liverpool kept a clean sheet in that game, but things will be much tougher in normal Premier League fixtures with their top three centre-backs all unavailable.

Neither player has made a competitive appearances for the Merseysiders to date, but the pair could be given their debuts against Exeter City in the FA Cup third round on Friday.