Liverpool FC Solve Daniel Agger's Injury Mystery

The operation to cure Daniel Agger's longstanding foot problem has been declared a success by surgeons.

The Danish international has been out of first team action for Liverpool since breaking a metatarsal last September.

He has attempted a comeback on two separate occasions but after training and playing for the reserves Agger told Liverpool's physios that he was still feeling pain in his foot and it was decided that surgery was the only option.

Agger went under the knife on Monday afternoon and surgeons discovered a piece of floating bone which they believe was the source of his ongoing discomfort.

The 23-year-old defender will now return to Melwood to begin his rehabilitation with a view to being fit in time for the start of next season, although a comeback ahead of schedule before the end of this season has not been ruled out.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez is delighted that the problem finally appears to have been solved.

He said: "Daniel was reporting some pain in his foot so it was decided that he would go for an operation.

"He has now had that operation and the surgeons believe they have found out what was causing him the pain.

"Daniel has more confidence now that the operation is over.

"The doctors have told me that in a normal situation his season is finished but that he will be back for next season. If he improves quickly and makes good progress then he could play before the end of this season, but I think we will wait for next year. It will be like having a new signing when he is back.

"I know he is happier now. He has been trying so hard to get back fit again but now he can look forward to next season knowing it will be a different situation for him.

"It has been a big blow to Daniel and to us that he has been out for so long but hopefully the problem has now been sorted out and he can start working towards being fit for the start of next season.

"Martin Skrtel has come into the side and done very well along with Carra and Sami Hyypia but it will obviously be good to have Daniel back because he is an important player for us."

Kewell Fights For Reds Future

Harry Kewell has vowed to fight to win a new contract at Liverpool.

The Australian international's current deal expires at the end of the season and he could leave Anfield for nothing in the summer.

Kewell has not featured for Liverpool since the shock FA Cup defeat to Barnsley and Reds boss Rafa Benitez has admitted the former Leeds star faces a battle to win a contract extension.

The 29-year-old will miss this weekend's clash with Manchester United as he has been given permission to join up with Australia this weekend for their training camp ahead of the World Cup qualifier with China next week.

Kewell, who has seen his time at Anfield blighted by injury, insists he will not give up on winning a new contract.

"I've got a contract until the end of the season and I'm still fighting for another one at Liverpool," Kewell told the Liverpool Daily Post.

"I've got the Aussie spirit of never say die and I'll take that all the way to the end. I won't give up until the final whistle.

"The best thing for me is to get some games so I can be fighting fit for Liverpool. There's a chance here to play two games and the manager was very happy for me to come across.

"I've just got to play football.

"I've been through some good times and bad times and I've realised now that just want to enjoy my football. That's the important thing."

Celtic have been linked with a possible move for Kewell in the summer, but the winger claims he is unaware of any interest from the Scottish champions.

"It's the first I've heard of it and I've heard a lot of things in my period in football," added Kewell.

"There's a lot of fantastic clubs out there, but for now my goal is on Saturday and then China."

Beware Liverpool’s TAG Team, Says John Arne Riise

John Arne Riise has warned Manchester United to beware the ‘TAG’ team that is wrestling Liverpool’s opponents into submission.

Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard have netted 12 of the 18 goals Rafael Benitez’s have accrued since embarking on a seven-game winning streak.

The pairing have struck up a prolific understanding reminiscent of the Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton ‘SAS’ combination that fired Blackburn Rovers to the Premier League title in 1995.

Liverpool travel to Old Trafford on Sunday hoping to break Benitez’s United duck in the Premier League and strengthen their claims for a top-four finish.

And Norway left-back Riise, who is hopeful of regaining the left-back role at the weekend, reckons the form of Torres and Gerrard can help Benitez’s men secure a first league win over their bitter North West rivals in four years.

“Gerrard and Torres have a partnership like I’ve never seen before,” said Riise. “The two of them are in unbelievable form at the moment, both looking strong and both scoring goals.

“I wouldn’t say I’m surprised with the way Torres is playing because we knew he was a top striker, but sometimes it can take a while to settle in English football. He hasn’t needed time at all. I know for a fact that defenders hate to play against him because he’s so quick and so strong.

“United will definitely be worried about us because we’re the form side at the moment, but at the same time we have to respect them because they are a top side also.”

Liverpool’s encouraging run of form will be put to the test over the next three weeks. After Sunday’s game at United, Everton visit Anfield a week later for the Merseyside derby before three games in seven days against Arsenal in both the league and the Champions League.

And Riise admits: “These next couple of weeks are going to be unbelievable. We are playing top games against top teams but we are looking strong at the moment and so we can’t wait for the matches to come around.

“This is the sort of run of games you train for and work towards during the season. There’s still a lot to play for for us as we look to secure fourth place and keep going in the Champions League.

“We’ve closed the gap on the top teams of late but we still need three teams to mess up if we’re going to get back into the title race.

“For now I think we have to look to finish fourth and that’s why the derby next weekend is going to be so crucial.”

Riise believes Benitez must take his share of the credit for the manner in which Liverpool have suddenly hit a rich vein of winning form.

“It’s down to the manager and his rotation,” he said. “Because he changed the team around earlier in the season we’re now seeing the rewards of that.

“When you have so many competitions to play in it’s important to rotate and that’s why the manager did it. He cares about the players.

“Now we don’t have as many competitions to go for, that’s why you’re seeing virtually the same players and the same system from game to game.”

Jamie Carragher concurs with the view of his defensive colleague.

“The first three years the manager has been here we have been to three finals so hopefully there will be another one this season in Moscow,” said the centre-back.

“He gets a lot of criticism for it but you have to look at his record, not just here at Valencia too, it does prove successful.

“The manager takes a lot of criticism but over the last few weeks we haven’t been changing too much as there hasn’t been as many games.

“But with these five games coming up, plus the international game, I’m sure there might be a few changes.

“At this time of the season there are maybe a few tired legs and things just need freshening up every now and again.”

Rafael Benitez May Be Forced To Rotate For Liverpool's Crucial Matches

Liverpool’s recent unbeaten run may have coincided with Rafael Benítez breaking from his infamous rotation policy, but Jamie Carragher believes that the manager will revert to his tried and trusted methods during a gruelling three-week period that could make or break the team’s season.

Since their humiliating exit at the hands of Barnsley in the FA Cup fifth round last month, Liverpool have won their past seven matches in all competitions, reaching the Champions League quarter-finals and regaining fourth place in the Barclays Premier League in the process.

Benítez has made 16 changes to his line-ups during that time at an average of a little less than 2.29 changes per match, but with Manchester United to play at Old Trafford on Sunday in the first of five mouthwatering fixtures over a 17-day period — not to mention next week’s international schedule — Carragher is adamant that the Spaniard will soon be ringing the changes once again.

“The manager takes a lot of criticism [for his rotation policy], but over the last few weeks we haven’t been changing too much as there hasn’t been as many games,” the defender said. “But with these five games coming up, plus the international games, I’m sure there might be a few changes. At this time of the season there are maybe a few tired legs and things just need freshening up every now and again.”

Benítez will lose many of his senior squad to international duty after the match against United, with the Liverpool manager particularly irked that Javier Mascherano, the midfield player, must travel to Cairo for Argentina’s friendly against Egypt on Wednesday, four days before a Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield that is likely to have a huge bearing on the fight for fourth place in the Premier League.

Liverpool will then face Arsenal three times in seven days, with their league meeting at the Emirates Stadium on April 5 sandwiched between their two-leg Champions League quarter-final, and John Arne Riise is adamant that the club can maintain their fine form.

“These next couple of weeks are going to be unbelievable,” the defender said. “We are playing top games against top teams, but we are looking strong at the moment and so we can’t wait for the matches to come around. There’s still a lot to play for as we look to secure fourth place and keep going in the Champions League. That’s our one chance to win a trophy this season and we want to take it.

“The disappointing thing from our point of view is that we should have been up there fighting for the title. You won’t believe how disappointed we are with some of the points we have thrown away this season, especially at home.

“We’ve closed the gap on the top teams of late, but we still need three teams to mess up if we’re going to get back in the title race. For now, I think we have to look to finish fourth and that’s why the derby next weekend is going to be crucial.”

Riise believes that the form of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, who has 27 goals to his name in his debut season at the club, will be vital. “Gerrard and Torres have a partnership like I’ve never seen before,” Riise said. “The two of them are in unbelievable form at the moment, both looking strong and both scoring goals.

“Torres has needed no time at all [to settle in English football]. United will definitely be worried about us because we’re the form side at the moment.”

Torres is confident that he can maintain a spree in which he has found the net nine times in Liverpool’s past six matches. “I hope to score many more goals for Liverpool this season,” the Spain striker said. “I’ve been having a good year so far and I’m hoping the team can continue our good run of results until the end of the season.”

Lucas Outs Himself As Fan Of Rafa's Rotation Policy

Lucas Leiva has credited Rafa Benitez's much maligned rotation policy with allowing him to get a foothold in the Liverpool squad.

Benitez seems to finally have discovered the virtues of a first-choice lineup, but not before the former Gremio standout established himself as a steady compliment to the likes of Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano, by impressing in almost all of his 20 appearances so far this season.

"The manager, Rafa Benitez, has a philosophy whereby he likes to rotate, sometimes four players from game to game. And this has worked to my advantage," admitted the 21-year-old, who captained the Brazilian U-20 team before making the graduation to the full Selecao.

"Gerrard is undoubtedly the face of Liverpool Football Club, possibly the face of English football," he added. "But we can play together and have already done so to good effect.

"I must admit I suffered a bit when I first came to England," he added. "But then I realised that there was nothing to be intimidated by, everybody had two legs, we were all equal.

"I managed to get over this when I realized what I had already achieved. I had done big things like being selected for Brazil. Now, I have settled in and everyone has treated me well since I arrived."

Lucas became the first Brazilian to score for Liverpool in January of this year when he struck against Havant and Waterlooville in the FA Cup.

Dalglish Praises Gerrard And Torres

Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish has heaped praise on current Anfield stars Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, hailing them amongst the Anfield greats.

The pair are massive hits with the Kop, with Torres taking no time at all to win over fans following his big-money move from Atlético Madrid in the summer.

The Spaniard became the first player since Robbie Fowler to hit 20 league goals in a season for Liverpool, with many of his strikes thanks to great assist play from Gerrard.

"The understanding that has developed between Torres and Steven Gerrard is becoming telepathic," said Dalglish, who was at Liverpool in the glory years and as manager delivered the Reds' last league title.

"There were a couple of exchanges between them against Reading where one didn't even have to look for the other before a pass was played.

"They just seemed to be able to judge where the other wanted the ball played. It's going to be fascinating to watch over the next few seasons as they get better."