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Posts Tagged ‘trip’

• Centre-half fears for his prospects at Anfield
• ‘If I’m not playing I have no reason to be here’

Daniel Agger has added to Roy Hodgson’s complications at Liverpool by revealing he will look to leave the club if he cannot regain a regular first-team place.

The Denmark international returned to the side on New Year’s Day following a three-month absence with a calf injury but, having been overlooked by Hodgson for his favoured centre-half role earlier in the season, he fears for his prospects under Liverpool’s beleaguered manager. Agger has endured an injury-plagued five years at Anfield but remains a key defender in a squad that will be without Jamie Carragher for at least another month as he recovers from a dislocated shoulder.

Speaking to the Danish newspaper Jyllands Posten today, the 26-year-old said: “I still have three years left on my contract with Liverpool but it’s not me who decides if I’m playing. If I’m not playing and I’m not injured I have no reason to be here. I now have a certain age and I feel I have the level to play at this club. So if I’m not going to play and I’m on the bench for a while, obviously I’m not interested in being here. Then I must see what options I have.”

Agger was responding to reports that he had been offered for sale to Wolfsburg and Juventus recently, claims that Hodgson has rejected. The Liverpool defender said: “I have the attitude that if anyone wants to get rid of me and they are doing something on my behalf, I really expect that you’d walk up to me and say it to my face. If not, I don’t believe it, but that’s the world of football and you just have to accept that.”

The Liverpool manager may opt to rest Agger away at Blackburn Rovers tomorrow night given the player’s recent inactivity and with the FA

• Vice-captain out for three months with dislocated shoulder
• Eighteen-year-old to start against Steaua Bucharest

Roy Hodgson will ask the 18-year-old Danny Wilson to deputise for Jamie Carragher against Steaua Bucharest tomorrow after it was confirmed the Liverpool defender faces as long as three months out with a dislocated shoulder.

Carragher suffered the injury towards the end of Liverpool’s defeat at Tottenham on Sunday and had hoped to recover through a six-week rest period. However, following a MRI scan on Merseyside today and consultations between Liverpool’s medical department and specialists, it was decided the 32-year-old needs an operation that could sideline him until March.

The Liverpool vice-captain said: “I’ll be having surgery at the end of the week. The average is about 12 weeks. I’d like to come back before that but I’ve got to make sure it’s right. It will probably be late February or early March when I’m looking to come

• Cole could play in Sunday’s game at Tottenham
• Midfielder has missed Liverpool’s last five matches

Joe Cole is likely to make his return from injury in Liverpool’s Premier League fixture at Tottenham on Sunday. The midfielder has missed the last five matches with a hamstring problem but Roy Hodgson is confident Cole will be available for the trip to White Hart Lane.

“Joe should be back for Sunday,” the manager said. “We were hoping he would be back to face West Ham, but it has taken that little bit longer. Joe is not that far away really, so hopefully he will have recovered in time for Tottenham.

“Hamstring injuries are tricky and I’m afraid we can only rely on what the sports science people tell us, and if they say he needs more time we just have to wait.”

Meanwhile the defender Glen Johnson has admitted he is surprised Liverpool are within touching distance of the top four after such a poor start to the season.

Having endured their worst start to a campaign since 1953-54 with six points from the opening eight matches, they have now taken 13 from their last six – a record bettered only by Manchester United over the same period. They are now only three points off fifth place and six behind Manchester City, who occupy the final Champions League qualification position.

“We are still quite close to the top and if we can build on this performance [the 3-0 win over West Ham] then I’m sure we can be close to where we want to be,” Johnson said. “It surprises me that this win has taken us to within sight of fourth place.

“Considering some of the points we have dropped, you’d have thought we would be out of it already, to be honest, but we’re in there. Everyone’s beating everyone at the moment and the league’s really open. That means if we can put a run together we can get up there where we aim to be.”

Just over a week ago a four-match unbeaten league run – which had lifted the club out of the unfamiliar surroundings of the relegation zone – was ended in dismal fashion at Stoke. Johnson is now hoping the club can put together another strong sequence of results.

“The West Ham win was an important result because we can start again looking for another unbeaten run like that last one,” said the England international, who marked his return from injury with the opening goal on Saturday.

“We are looking to go on another run, to build on this victory again, and we showed good form out there, especially in the first half. We believe that if we can put another run together we can be back up there challenging for the top four places.”

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