Steven Gerrard to begin light training at Liverpool

Posted Tuesday, August 16, 2011 by theguardian.com

• Competitive comeback still scheduled for mid-September
• Fábio Aurélio injured again but Martin Skrtel close to return

Steven Gerrard to begin light training at Liverpool
Steven Gerrard has not played since picking up a groin injury during Liverpool's 3-1 win over Manchester United in March.

Steven Gerrard will return to light training with Liverpool this week as the club captain continues his recovery from the infection that ruined his start to the new Premier League season.

The Liverpool midfielder has not featured for Kenny Dalglish's team since March due to groin surgery and his scheduled return in August was postponed when he suffered an infection related to the operation. Gerrard was released from hospital almost a fortnight ago and has been granted permission to resume light training. "Stevie will be stepping up his recovery this week," Dalglish said.

Liverpool have not, however, revised Gerrard's comeback date of mid-September and the 31-year-old is expected to miss England's European Championship qualifiers against Bulgaria and Wales at the start of next month.

Martin Skrtel will also return to training at Melwood this week as he recovers from a calf injury suffered in pre-season, but the luckless Fábio Aurélio is facing another extended period on the sidelines having damaged his achilles tendon in training on Friday. Liverpool have yet to discover the full extent of the injury-prone defender's problem.

Aurélio's untimely absence forced Dalglish to hand an immediate Liverpool debut to José Enrique against Sunderland on Saturday, despite the Spanish left-back completing a £6m move from Newcastle United only 24 hours earlier.

José Enrique enjoyed an assured start to his Liverpool career and said Andy Carroll, his former Newcastle team-mate and now Anfield colleague, will justify his £35m price-tag now he has overcome the thigh and knee injuries that interrupted his debut season on Merseyside.

"Andy was brilliant for us at Newcastle and I am sure he will be the same for Liverpool," José Enrique said. "He is a very, very good player. When a club like Liverpool pays £35m for Andy, I know it is not by chance. It is because they think he is a good player.

"I watched him play last season and I knew he wasn't fit here. I don't care if the player is Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, if a player is not fit, then he cannot play properly. He is playing very well in his position and he is going to be an important player this season."