Glen Johnson
Johnson is back after a spell out with ankle and thigh problems.

Liverpool have been handed a major boost in their attempts to qualify for the Champions League with the news that defender Glen Johnson has returned to training ahead of the Premier League visit to Arsenal, according to the Liverpool Echo.

Johnson is unavailable for the game against the Gunners as he continues to recover from separate ankle and thigh injuries but having resumed training he is ready to take his place in the first team during the last third of the campaign.

The news is also a significant boost to England manager Roy Hodgson ahead of the 2014 World Cup after Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers had originally ruled Johnson out "indefinitely" following a string of injury concerns.

The Liverpool manager said in January: "Glen has played a lot of the season having been injured and really put himself out for the team but unfortunately he's struggled a lot.

"The timeline he'll be out will be indefinitely. We'll just need to assess that and see how quickly he comes through that.

"He's had a real bad ankle for a period of time and just one or two other issues that haven't allowed him to be 100 per-cent.

"I think everyone has seen over many years the speed, fluency and how good he's been but for part of this season he's been restricted and that's obviously been difficult for him.

"But he's put himself out for the team to train and to play and I just think it's now at that point where we need to get him right."

The 29 year old is expected to travel to Brazil as first choice full-back for England and his imminent return comes just three weeks before the warm-up game against Denmark on 5 March.

Johnson will definitely miss the trip to Fulham in mid-week but could be in contention to return in the FA Cup tie against Arsenal or the Premier League game against Swansea City at the end of the month.

Liverpool are currently coping without Luis Enrique or Daniel Agger and after Kolo Toure's mistake cost all three points against West Bromwich Albion, Johnson's return can't come soon enough.

Liverpool FC