Dejan Lovren steps up recovery from injury by playing for Liverpool Under-23s

Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren is edging closer to full fitness after having a run-out for the Under-23s on Monday night.

The Croatian missed three games in a row with a knee injury, but returned to the matchday squad for the Reds' 3-1 victory over Arsenal on March 4.

Manager Jurgen Klopp left the centre-back out of last weekend's 2-1 triumph over Burnley after suffering a back problem in training, and now Lovren has tried to prove his fitness with the development squad.

The club confirmed on Twitter that the defender completed 73 minutes of the young Reds' 2-0 win over Chelsea at Prenton Park.

📸 Dejan Lovren completes 75 minutes for #LFCU23s. He is replaced by Nathaniel Phillips. pic.twitter.com/E9NedHwvoh

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 13, 2017

Klopp was in attendance to watch the match, while academy coach Steven Gerrard also sat in the crowd.