Liverpool blow as Agger injured

April 07, 2011 | 08:43
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Liverpool defender Daniel Agger will miss the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury against West Brom last weekend.
source: AFP

The Denmark international was forced off in the first half at The Hawthorns with a tendon problem.

"Daniel has a problem with the tendon behind his knee and won't be involved again this season," said manager Kenny Dalglish.

"He'll be out for a couple of months before he can start training."

Agger's last two seasons have been blighted by injury and his latest set-back could not have come at a worse time with injury problems in defence mounting up for Dalglish, who also lost right-back Glen Johnson to a hamstring strain in the 2-1 loss at West Brom.

He is expected to be out for a month, although no timescale has been put on his recovery, while it is anticipated Martin Kelly - the player who displaced the England international from the right of defence - will be out for a similar amount of time after a recurrence of a hamstring problem.

Dalglish is still waiting for a prognosis on captain Steven Gerrard, who was due to return from a groin operation against West Brom only to sustain a similar but not identical injury in training on Friday.

The fact there has been no swift diagnosis of the problem raises fears the England midfielder's season could also be over.

"Glen Johnson has a hamstring problem which is usually about three or four weeks and it's the same for Martin Kelly," added the Reds boss.

"We will know about Steven at the end of the week. He will be assessed and we'll see what the story is.

"It's disappointing for the players because they want to play in every game.

"We're getting towards the end of the season but if you're injured you're injured.

"We feel for them but the most important people at the football club are the ones who are fit and able to play. We have to get on with what we've got."

There was some good news for Dalglish after Fabio Aurelio - the first team's only specialist left-back - returned to training after a month out with a hamstring strain.

Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is also back with the squad having made a successful comeback from a knee operation in February with an outing for the reserves this week.

"Fabio Aurelio and Jonjo Shelvey are training again and David Ngog had a game for the reserves on Monday, so we've lost some but we've got a few back," added the Scot.

AFP

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