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• Captain has undergone treatment to combat infection
• Midfielder will miss Swansea game and two England friendlies

Liverpool hope rest for Steven Gerrard during the upcoming international break will cure an infection in their captain’s right ankle.

Gerrard, who had only recently returned to fitness after a six-month absence caused by a groin problem, missed the victory at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday and was subsequently pictured with his leg in a cast. The midfielder has now been ruled out of England’s friendly matches against Spain and Sweden.

A Liverpool statement said: “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.”

Liverpool have not specified when they hope the 31-year-old can play again. The club’s clear wish is that no infection returns to the area which was initially caused by an apparently innocuous cut during training.

Dr Kal Parmar, a sports medicine specialist with the Pure Sports Clinic, believes Gerrard’s recovery should be relatively straightforward.

“I have read about the case and it is unusual for something like this simply to happen from a cut,” Dr Parmar said. “I think Steven has been unlucky for the injury to come about in this way.

“It sounds as though the cut has become infected and that has got into the ankle joint. From there, the joint would be washed out in a minor surgical procedure. There should be no complications from there, it is easily treated.

“The cast is put in place to prevent any infection from spreading. He should be fine; you have to keep on top of the cut, keep it clean and he will probably still be on some kind of antibiotics. But he should be back within the next week or two, I would have thought.”

Steven GerrardLiverpoolEwan Murrayguardian.co.uk

• ‘I was down and I was low,’ says Liverpool captain
• Groin surgery and infection led to six months on sidelines

Steven Gerrard has admitted his injury problem this year left him at the lowest ebb of his career.

The Liverpool captain made his first start in seven months with a goalscoring return during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United, having undergone surgery on his troublesome groin in March.

The 31-year-old had initially been expected to be back for the start of new season but he suffered a setback in July when he was admitted to hospital with an infection related to the groin injury.

Speaking about the injury, Gerrard told several national newspapers: “When I got the injury I knew it was going to be a serious one, something I wasn’t used to. I had to try to be positive but I will admit that I was down. There were times when I was as low as I’ve ever been as a footballer.

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

The England midfielder added: “Before the operation I’d been getting niggles and having injections to play. Basically, I knew that wasn’t right.

“I was missing training sessions and coming in the day before a game trying to get that last session in or having injections to play the next day. You can only do that for a certain amount of time before your body gives in – and mine gave in.

“My groin packed in on me and when it happened I was down and I was low. When it happened it took time before I got back into a positive frame of mind. Without doubt the last six months have been the hardest of my career.”

Steven GerrardLiverpoolguardian.co.uk

• ‘I think everyone knows I’m still not 100% fit’
• Midfielder says other players are ‘more suitable’

The Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard, has suggested the England manager, Fabio Capello, might be better looking elsewhere when he picks his squad for the Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro.

England’s chances of playing in Poland and Ukraine could hang on the match in Podgorica but Gerrard, who has played only 25 minutes of football since returning from a groin operation which kept him out for six months, believes there are players who should be selected ahead of him in Sunday’s squad.

“I think everyone knows I’m still not 100% match fit,” said the midfielder, who will report for international duty if he is asked. “I have only probably had two 12-minute games. I’m not really sure how much I’m going to play against Everton so, in my opinion, it’s probably still a bit too early.

“I don’t make the decisions. Those decisions are down to the England manager, whether he picks me or not. I’m sure he’ll have a discussion with [the Liverpool manager] Kenny [Dalglish] and between them they can decide what the right thing is for me. In my opinion there are other players out there who are match fit who are probably more suitable for that game, but we’ll have to wait and see.

“If I’m called up, I’ll deal with it.”

England could drop to second place in Group G if Montenegro beat them and then Switzerland, leading to a two-legged play-off for England with a team from another group.

Gerrard is likely to start Saturday’s Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on the bench and the 31-year-old is concerned that rushing back into the fray could affect his recovery.

He said: “I totally understand that. With experience I have come to learn about my own body and I haven’t been out for two or three weeks with a hamstring or a calf injury. I’ve had a reconstruction of my groin and it is going to take time.

“To be fair to Kenny and the medical staff, they have handled me perfectly so far and I’m sure they’ll do the same in the coming weeks. It’s important that I don’t force it, they don’t force it and we don’t push it too hard, but I am at the stage now where the only way I’m going to get my match sharpness, match fitness and get back to the form I want to play at is if I get game time. But I also understand it’s got to be at the right time as well.”

Meanwhile, Gerrard has urged Liverpool to “play without fear” when they travel to Everton. Liverpool start the match at Goodison in fifth place and Gerrard feels the team must stay calm and not get caught up in the atmosphere if they are to take all three points.

“Sometimes in derby games you can get involved in the fight and forget to play. It becomes a battle and a tussle rather than us settling and playing our own game. We like to pass and move, attack quick and stay compact when we haven’t got the ball, so if we can settle really quickly into the game I’m really confident we can get the right result.”

Describing the derbies as “the two favourite games for me with Manchester United a close second”, Gerrard added: “We’ve got a very good derby record over the years at Goodison Park, so I don’t see why we can’t go there with confidence, play our own stuff, not get involved in a fight and I think if we can stay in the game in the first 15 to 20 minutes we’ll come through and win it.”

Steven GerrardEnglandLiverpoolguardian.co.uk