Rhian Brewster is 'in good spirits' as he recovers from the ankle injury that prematurely ended a productive season for club and country in January.

The Academy striker maintained his excellent progress in the first half of the campaign by regularly impressing at U23 level for Liverpool before top-scoring at the U17 World Cup as England took the trophy.

But Brewster sustained ligament damage to his right ankle during the young Reds’ meeting with Manchester City in the New Year and required surgery that cut short his involvement in 2017-18.

The 18-year-old has taken a positive approach to his rehabilitation at Melwood, however, and Neil Critchley expects him to return in improved shape this summer.

“He was unfortunate to get the injury. There’s never a good time to get an injury,” the U23s boss explained to Liverpoolfc.com.

“It was just after Christmas and our first game against Manchester City, and it was an unfortunate incident. You look around the first team at the moment and I’m sure Rhian might have been one of those players who would have been around the squad.

“But injuries are part and parcel of football. He is in good spirits. Rhian is always in good spirits! You can’t knock that boy down.

“He knows he’s got a few months to go of rehabilitation. He has got a fighting spirit about him and he will come back better, stronger and fitter.

“He’s got to use this time off the pitch to benefit himself physically, which he will do. He will hopefully come back for pre-season ready to hit the ground running.”