It doesn’t ignore the heartbreak that a second ACL injury at the start of the 2016/2017 one day after making his comeback from his first one meant he missed out on near enough another season of football. It was a shame considering the missed opportunity to cover for Sadio Mane when he went to the African Cup of Nations leading to pleads by LFC fans to bring in another forward. If only Ings was available there was the chance cruelly taken away to show his potential as a supplement to the front three.His cameos in the latter part of the 2017/2018 included a goal against West Brom in a 2-2 draw brought celebrations of joy and frustration that he couldn’t kickstart his Liverpool career. With the front three untouchable and with the likes of Sturridge and Origi taking the supporting roles, they were all signs for Ings to find first team football elsewhere.It would have been easy for Ings to sit on the bench and settle for a bit part role in Liverpool’s charge towards the title in 2018/2019. He was a big favourite in the dressing room particularly with the English lads such as Jordan Henderson, James Milner etc. alongside his character certainly prompted Klopp into offering him a new deal past 2018.
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But Ings knew to make a name for himself he had to play regularly elsewhere and was not short of suitors as many Primer League clubs were cueing up for his services. It was Southampton that attracted him the most as a lad who grew up on the south coast, he saw the saints as the right place to go.8 goals and 3 assists in 25 appearances was enough for Southampton to turn that in a permanent £20 million move which has allowed the 27-year-old to play weekly football and he has not looked back since. With 14 goals in 24 appearances means only Jamie Vardy has scored more goals than Southampton’s number nine and is making a strong case to be in England’s 2020 squad.I couldn’t help but think when watching him on Match of the Day at Leicester beating the offside trap and showing so much composure with the outside of his boot poke it through Kasper Schmeichel legs makes you think what sort of player he would have been under Klopp. Maybe some of Divock Origi’s glory moments would of came from his own boots.A player in the form of his life and despite the obligation he has to try and win a game of football for his current team Ings knows that fortune not effort robbed him the chance of a successful Liverpool career.Article by Jake Clay – @JakeClay17
