Loris Karius has made his return to Liverpool this week.

The German shot stopper went radio silent for almost two months after his nightmare performance in the Champions League final, setting up Real Madrid for victory in Kiev.

His inexplicable throw to Karim Benzema and failure to catch Gareth Bale's long-range effort that day no doubt continue to haunt him.

However, Karius has the chance to turn a new page by returning to Melwood and directing his focus on what he can do for the Reds next season.

Whether he'll get the opportunity to exorcise the demons of Kiev immediately, though, is a different story with reports rife that Liverpool want to replace him.

Possible new GK for Liverpool

Moves for Alisson Becker and Jan Oblak have seemingly fallen through but the rumours won't subside after his Champions League showing.

That being said, the more world-class goalkeepers Liverpool miss out on, the more likely it seems that Klopp will simply stick with Karius next season.

It's a proposition that has split Kopites down the middle and a topic club legend and Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has now addressed.

Gerrard drops his verdict on Karius

“Karius, to be fair to him, was getting stronger and stronger as the season when on," Gerrard told the Press Association.

“I think the key is does Jurgen think he has the mental strength to bounce back? Is he capable of parking that up, moving on and drawing from the experience?

“If Jurgen doesn’t think he is capable of bouncing back from that of course he will have to go into the market and get another goalkeeper but Jurgen knows him better than me.

“The easy thing to do is put a cross through his name and bin him but you have to remember he took Liverpool to the Champions League final.

“He is young so we don’t want to bin a good goalkeeper because he does have the potential to be very good.”

Gerrard is willing to back Klopp no matter what he decides on the basis the German knows best, but is staunchly against the idea that Karius should be sold.

At 25 years old, Karius is still relatively young for a goalkeeper and some of his performances late last season suggests he could kick on in years to come.

Another shot stopper could be needed at Anfield to alleviate the pressure and continue to provide competition yet one performance shouldn't spell the end of Karius' Liverpool career.

Like Gerrard says, whatever decision Klopp makes, nobody knows better than the Liverpool manager himself.

And unless Liverpool can sensationally find themselves a world-class goalkeeper in the coming weeks, Kopites should buckle themselves up for another season of Karius, for better or for worse.

Do you think Klopp should stick with Karius next season? Have your say in the comments section below.