I won't be ready for Manchester United admits Steven Gerrard
STEVEN GERRARD has revealed the full extent of his injury agony - and ruled himself out of Saturday's clash with Manchester United.
The Liverpool captain is recovering from a double operation on his groin which became so painful he couldn't sprint or pass the ball more than 30 yards during a game.
After he helped Liverpool beat Standard Liege in the Champions League qualifier last month, Gerrard went in for surgery and was expected to be out for at least two weeks. But with Fernando Torres also struggling to be for the visit the champions to Anfield on Saturday after he tore a hamstring against Aston Villa last weekend, Gerrard's predicted absence further hampers Rafael Benitez's preparations.
His side has never scored a Premier League goal against United while he has been in charge and the potential loss of his two most potent attacking threats is a major blow. Gerrard has predicted he might make a return for the first Champions League group game in Marseille next Tuesday, but his lack of match fitness means the following weekend's home game against Stoke City is a more realistic target.
"The United game is too soon," said Gerrard. "I've a decent chance for the Champions League game in Marseille but I've spoken to the manager and told him I'd like to do a certain amount of training before I come back.
"I don't want to go into a big game only having had one session with the boys."
Gerrard has been relying on painkillers to get through games this season but has been struggling to find his maximum level.
The pain in the second leg against Liege on August 27 became unbearable to the point of preventing him sprinting or being able to hit long passes and the decision to have an operation was taken following the 1-0 victory.
It ruled Gerrard out of the Premier League trip to Villa and to miss England's two opening World Cup qualifiers in Andorra and Croatia.
But he said: "There are times when you have got to forget about England and Liverpool and get yourself right. I had a good rest in the summer and felt great when I came back. Then, as soon as I went into training, the groin started niggling.
"One day it would be the right, then the left, and over a month's pre-season, it started to be a real worry.
"I strained both sides, which is a separate injury from the main groin problem I've got. The strains came about because I was training and playing differently to reduce the pain further up the pelvic bone."
Gerrard added: "The decision about surgery was taken after our game against Standard Liege. I had a meeting with the club doctor on the day of the game and said the discomfort was getting to the stage where I couldn't continue.
"I'd had to double, then treble, my dose of painkillers to train and play, and I was having to take them during games. You get to the stage where you can't grind it out any longer. I told the doctor, 'I can't find my level, I can't get to 100% because I'm missing training sessions and I don't feel right in games. I don't feel I can go to the max'.
"I couldn't sprint flat out, couldn't pass more than 30 yards and couldn't shoot properly and, as much as you want to be out there for every game, it is important to be right."
Meanwhile, Steve Finnan has expressed his surprise at his transfer window deadline day move to Espanyol.The late deal was thrashed out to help Liverpool secure the cash for Albert Riera to move in the opposite direction from the Spanish side to Anfield.
"It was totally out of the blue," said Finnan after he played in Ireland's World Cup qualifier in Georgia on Saturday. "It's exciting to be going to a great club in Spain but I didn't want to leave.
"But it was obvious that I wasn't going to get a game by staying so I didn't really have much choice."
- IAN RUSH will be signing copies of his book Rush: The Autobiography at Waterstone's on Bold Street today from 12.30pm.
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