Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has returned to first-team training in a timely boost for Jurgen Klopp's short of confidence squad.
The Portuguese frontman, who flew out the blocks following his £41m move from Wolves in September, has been out of action for 11 weeks since picking up a knee injury in a Champions League dead-rubber against Midtjylland on December 9.
The Reds' form has plummeted since then, having won just two of their last 11 Premier League games, and they face bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United on Sunday night but could have Jota available to them.
It remains to be seen whether Jota will feature at Bramall Lane - he could start on the bench, with a more realistic target perhaps next Thursday's clash against Chelsea at Anfield.
Jota scored nine goals in 17 appearances in all competitions before his injury and the champions have undoubtedly missed the 24-year-old in the near three months since.
He scored a memorable hat-trick at Atalanta in the Champions League in arguably Liverpool's best performance of the season.
Now, after losing at home to Everton on Saturday - their first defeat at Anfield in a Merseyside Derby this century - Liverpool are in sixth place, five points off West Ham in fourth.
The Reds are now 19 points behind runaway leaders Manchester City. For comparison, when Jota picked up his injury, Jurgen Klopp's side were joint top-of-the-table with Tottenham, and six points ahead of City.
Jota's return comes as captain Jordan Henderson is reportedly set to miss up to 12 weeks of action with the Liverpool midfielder to discover today whether he needs surgery on his groin.
Henderson limped out of the Reds' deflating 2-0 Merseyside derby defeat at the weekend to add to Klopp's forever-growing injury list.
Should Henderson require surgery for his groin, it would end his Liverpool season and put his hopes of appearing at this summer's Euros in major doubt
Henderson was forced off after 30 minutes against Everton with an adductor issue. The 30-year-old was being pursued by Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure when he pulled up sharply and crumpled to the ground.
The midfielder had scans on Monday with the club facing an anxious wait to find out how long he could be out for.