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Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard facing the agony of lengthy injury lay-off due to an infected ankle.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard could be facing the agony of another lengthy injury lay-off after being diagnosed with an infected ankle.

 

Out of action: Steven Gerrard has suffered another injury set-back soon after only recently returnibg to the Liverpool side Photo: EPA/PETER POWELL

By Chris Bascombe

11:59PM GMT 30 Oct 2011

14 Comments

The England midfielder, who has only just returned to action following groin surgery, will find out the extent of the injury – which flared up prior to Saturday’s Premier League fixture at West Bromwich Albion – in the next 48 hours.

 

Gerrard had fluid drained from the ankle at a Liverpool hospital yesterday and the club are now awaiting to gauge the effect of that procedure.

 

There are fears, however, that the injury will force Gerrard out for a prolonged spell.

 

Confirmation of the recovery time is likely to arrive tomorrow, but there was a grim mood at Anfield as the captain received treatment.

 

Gerrard is understood to be distraught that what seemed to be an innocuous cut on his ankle, sustained in training last week, has developed into a potentially more serious problem.

 

The 31 year-old Liverpool stalwart has only recently returned to Premier League action after a six month absence due to an unrelated groin problem, and he was just regaining his full match fitness. He has endured a nightmarish few months, and is believed to be devastated at the prospect of a further prolonged absence.

 

This latest setback means Gerrard is certain to miss England's forthcoming friendlies with Spain and Sweden on Nov 12 and 15, games which manager Fabio Capello is using to assess his options for Euro 2012.

 

Liverpool were already eager for Gerrard to be used sparingly by the Italian due to his long absence from the previous injury, but Capello will now know there is no possibility the player will be available for selection.

 

That will be a source of immense frustration to Gerrard, who has not appeared for his country since the friendly defeat by France last November, but it is the injury’s impact on the player himself and Liverpool’s quest to regain a Champions League place which will be of greater concern for his club.

 

Much of the stress will be caused by the bewilderment about how and why the injury deteriorated so badly in the 24 hours before Liverpool’s 2-0 win at The Hawthorns.

 

Gerrard travelled with the rest of the Liverpool squad to the Midlands on Friday.

 

He was already in some discomfort due to the knock he sustained on the ankle, but it was anticipated it would heal quickly and he would be fit to face Roy Hodgson’s side.

 

Instead, it got worse and on Saturday morning it was clear he would not be fit for selection and Gerrard returned to Merseyside for treatment.

 

The latest setback has come in the midst of key period of the season.

 

Liverpool play Swansea in the Premier League next weekend and have high-profile fixtures with Chelsea and Manchester City following the international break, as well as a Carling Cup tie at Stamford Bridge.

 

Manager Kenny Dalglish is as concerned as Gerrard to establish the full extent of the damage.

 

He had hoped on Saturday it would only be a minor knock and the player would be fit within a week.

 

“Steven has got an infection in his ankle. He was in our minds for the game, it just flared up,” explained Dalglish.

 

“It’s nothing to do with any injuries before, it’s an infection.

 

"I suppose it’s like having an abscess on your mouth.

 

"We can be more accurate next week than we can be just now.”

 

Any optimistic assessment of a swift return has certainly evaporated over the last 24 hours, however, and yesterday Gerrard was photographed leaving hospital on crutches.

 

By his own admission, it has been one of the most physically and emotionally stressful times of Gerrard’s career since he underwent groin surgery before the end of last season.

 

That operation cured a long-standing muscle injury which had forced Gerrard to consistently undergo pain killing injections in order to play.

 

His rehabilitation was further complicated by an infection which did not clear up properly, delaying his return this season by three months.

 

Gerrard said at the time he feared he may never return after that setback.

 

“There were times when I was as low as I’ve ever been as a footballer,” Gerrard said recently.

 

“I think it’s only natural that you have doubts and different things do cross your mind from time to time.”

 

Gerrard has made just five appearances this season, and marked his first start with a goal against Manchester United earlier this month.

 

He thought his luck had changed and he could look ahead to a successful campaign alongside Dalglish’s new signings, but he has barely been able to forge an on-field relationship with the recent acquisitions.

 

Indeed, Gerrard, Luis Suárez and Andy Carroll still have not started a fixture in the same line-up.

 

 

 

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard facing the agony of lengthy injury lay-off due to an infected ankle - Telegraph

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We're short of ones who are anywhere near as good as Gerrard.

 

Or Alonso. Or Mascherano.

 

Outside of Yaya Toure you could say that about any other team as well - including Spurs.

 

The old battles against Essien and Lampard or Fabregas just don't happen these days as all sides have a relatively shit centre-mid pairing. Parker and Modric are the best now but I think Gerrard and Lucas would win out against them and I hope we get to see that pairing in February at Anfield.

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Sounds to me like he's got an infected bursitis ( fluid sac around the joint). Not that I'm an expert but I had one in my elbow some years ago just from a minor scratch on the joint. Very painful and took a month and a lot of antibiotics to clear. I daresay Steve will being pumped full of IV antibotics and steroids but will surprised if hes back in training for a few weeks.

Not the end of his career as some have predicted , just unlucky

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Sounds to me like he's got an infected bursitis ( fluid sac around the joint). Not that I'm an expert but I had one in my elbow some years ago just from a minor scratch on the joint. Very painful and took a month and a lot of antibiotics to clear. I daresay Steve will being pumped full of IV antibotics and steroids but will surprised if hes back in training for a few weeks.

Not the end of his career as some have predicted , just unlucky

 

I guess people are just wondering why there seems to be a recurring infection problem.

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I've exhausted my limited medical knowledge and rather than risk being pilloried for gross quackery on the forum I'll simply say I have no idea whether stress plays a part.

 

If you only descended to gross quackery, you'd still be near the top of the pile!

 

I just thought the doctors may have mentioned something about it to you.

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I was kind of hoping that this was all a funny little Halloween leg-pulling. As in, haha, Stevie is messing with us. Leg well and truly pulled, sir. Well done, you got me... oh wait, what. This is not a prank? Fuck.

 

Thus was my thought process after I realised this was actually real life and that sometimes you get a bit of bad luck. I just hope he makes a full recovery and no other infections flare up in the meantime.

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Official LFC statement:

 

"Steven Gerrard has now undergone treatment to clear out all infection from his right ankle, which has been placed in a protective plaster cast.

 

The player will not be available for this weekend's game against Swansea City or for the upcoming England friendlies against Spain and Sweden.

 

Steven will now continue his rehabilitation programme under the guidance of the Club's medical staff."

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