Saturday, November 03, 2007

Benitez Expects Xabi Boost


Rafa Benitez is hoping Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso can return to action within two weeks.

Alonso made his comeback from six weeks out with a broken metatarsal against Arsenal on Sunday, only to suffer a new foot injury.

Liverpool confirmed earlier in the week that X-rays had shown a fracture to the Spaniard's fourth metatarsal and were unsure how long the player would be sidelined.

But, speaking after The Reds' 2-1 win over Cardiff City in the Carling Cup, Benitez revealed his expectation that Alonso would be available again in a fortnight.

"That's the idea we have," Benitez told Sky Sports News.

"So (Fernando) Torres and him, maybe (Daniel) Agger, can be fit in two weeks."

Steven Gerrard scored the winning goal against Cardiff, but Benitez admits his captain was not originally scheduled to play in the fourth-round tie.

The Liverpool boss said: "I would have wanted really to leave Steven out of the match, but we have too many injuries and Momo (Sissoko) was sick again, so he had to play.

"And in the end he was the one who scored the vital goal. Cardiff worked very hard and were always dangerous from set-pieces, and that is where their equaliser came from.

"But then Gerrard got through to score a typical goal. His form is coming back, as are his goals. That is three now in successive games."

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