Liverpool sweating over Gerrard fitness
Liverpool are assessing the fitness of skipper Steven Gerrard following Wednesday night’s Champions league defeat to Chelsea at Anfield. The 29-year-old England midfielder was substituted late on in last Saturday’s league victory at Fulham with an ankle problem, and was a doubt for the European quarter-final with Guus Hiddink's side.
However, having played the full 90-minutes against the Blues, he is now believed to have aggravated a groin injury.
“Steven was not 100 percent, you could see that. It was the same for Fernando Torres, you could see they were not as sharp as before,” manager Rafa Benitez said after the defeat to Chelsea.
Gerrard underwent tests on Thursday, which will reveal the extent of the problem.
But Liverpool are thought to be fearing the worst, with their captain now a doubt for the Reds' weekend encounter against Blackburn and the return leg with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next week.
“He was not as mobile as normal, Chelsea made it very difficult for him,” said Benitez. “But the difference in this match was that Chelsea played really well and we didn’t. The injury he had on Saturday wasn’t the problem. His ankle was okay.”
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Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.