Strained: Gerrard limps off against Lyon
Liverpool
fear Steven Gerrard may require an operation to solve his
troublesome groin injury.
Gerrard will be absent for Liverpool again tomorrow as he
struggles to recover from the problem he suffered in England’s
World Cup qualifying defeat by Ukraine almost three weeks ago.
The 29-year-old has managed only 25 minutes of action since then
— in last week’s Champions League loss to Lyon at Anfield, when he
aggravated the injury and limped off.
Liverpool are perplexed by Gerrard’s slow recovery. They are
reluctant to opt for surgery but it may be an option if the injury
fails to respond to treatment.
Manager Rafa Benitez had hoped his captain would be back for
tomorrow’s Premier League trip to Fulham, but has
accepted defeat.
Top scorer Fernando Torres, who has been affected by a similar
injury, is expected to start at Craven Cottage, though, and Benitez
said: ‘Both have to keep going. Gerrard is still working with the
physio so we will see. Hopefully, Torres will be OK, but for
Gerrard maybe it is more difficult.’