Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has declared Steven Gerrard's return from a hamstring injury may have to wait an extra week.
Club captain Gerrard has not played for Liverpool in more than a month since picking up the injury on international duty with England in a friendly against France.
The England international was expected to be fit for Saturday’s home clash against Fulham, with manager Hodgson claiming as early as last week that the midfielder would be fit, however his return appears to be on the line.
Hodgson told reporters: “Steven Gerrard is not fit and will be touch and go for Fulham. He is training every day and training harder than anyone and doing the work with the sports science and fitness people.
"If you look the statistics after training every day as to who has done the most running it is probably Gerrard and Daniel Agger [who has a calf problem], as they are the two trying to get back fit.
"But they are doing it in a controlled circumstance; the sports science people are controlling their movements, their running, their turning and certainly their kicking.
"At the moment the sports science/conditioning people have not said to me 'You can have these two back in your training sessions' and I am still waiting for when that will happen.
"I am hoping against hope it will be towards the end of the week and they will be able to be considered for the weekend, in particular Steven who is ahead of Daniel, but I don't know if that is the case."
Although already back training, Hodgson has stated that he will decide on Thursday whether to include his captain in the squad to face Fulham, however, he is weary of bringing him back too soon.
The Reds boss added: “We have to be careful there is no risk of the injury reoccurring and I am in the hands to some extent of the sports science people as to when he can come back.
"I take their word for it and I can't really push the subject because I would be devastated if we brought him back too early.
"Wednesday is a day off for those who won't be playing against Utrecht and if he is going to start the game against Fulham I definitely want him back training with us on Thursday, that's for sure. That's the deadline."
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