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Liverpool striker Origi raring to go

Cape Town - Liverpool striker Divock Origi says he will be "as fit and as ready mentally as possible" if called upon to feature against Tottenham in the Champions League final on Saturday.

Origi has been an unlikely hero for the Reds this season after scoring winners against Everton and Newcastle in the Premier League and then firing two goals in the sensational Champions League comeback against Barcelona in the semi-final.

Despite not featuring hardly at all in the first half of the campaign and then usually having to settle for a place on the bench when he was involved in the squad, Origi is in contention to face Spurs with Roberto Firmino only just recovering from a leg injury that kept him out of the run-in.

Origi is likely to be a sub again in Madrid as Firmino has been training without a problem this week, but the Belgian is ready to step up if needed by boss Jurgen Klopp.

"I'm ready to play whatever role the coach wants me to play," he told Sky Sports. "Everyone is excited for this final and personally, I'll be as fit and as ready mentally as possible to do whatever I can do."

Origi has been a Liverpool player since 2014 but has largely had to settle for a bit-part role and was loaned out to Lille and then Wolfsburg by the Reds as his first-team chances at Anfield were restricted.

The 24-year-old was a sub in the 2016 Europa League final defeat to Sevilla, while he watched on from afar when Klopp's side lost the Champions League final 12 months ago to Real Madrid.

Origi believes they have progressed under their German coach as Liverpool aim to end a seven-year wait for silverware on Saturday.

He added: "We've made a lot of steps as a team when you look at a couple of years ago.

"There is now more experience, more stability, more unity, more talent, so we're using all these things and in the future, it's just about focusing on doing the right things."

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