Liverpool FC have officially confirmed the recalls of Tiago Ilori and Kevin Stewart from their respective loan deals, having already brought back Ryan Kent and Sheyi Ojo in the last few days.
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Ilori would represent a stop-gap option should Villa agree to cancel his loan.
But after battling back from injury and making several appearances for Villa Under-21s on the way to full fitness, Ilori – who signed for Liverpool for £7 million in 2013 – never broke into the first-team after a change of manager.
The Liverpool boss has no choice that to leave injured Lovren and Toure out of Friday’s FA Cup third round tie against Exeter City, leaving him short at the back.
Midfielder Stewart, who joined Liverpool from Tottenham in the summer of 2014, has been recalled from his stint at Swindon Town.
It could end up as positive news for Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp’s defence plagued with injuries- meaning that youngster Ilori could find himself in the first-team picture for the first time in his Reds career.
Garde said: “He (Ilori) has gone back”. But it was my decision and he’s gone back to Liverpool’.
There are complications though, because even though he’s not played for Villa, the Midlands club have an option to sign him on a permanent deal at the end of the loan period, and they may not want to give that up.
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Jose Enrique makes his first appearance in a year – the outcast Spaniard last started a game against Bolton last January, also in the FA Cup.
