Gerrard out of Liverpool vs Man United clash
442 Staff - Monday 08 September 2008, 15:34
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has been ruled out of Saturday's Premier League showdown with north-west rivals Manchester United at Anfield.
The England midfielder is recovering after recently undergoing groin surgery, which forced him to miss England's World Cup qualifiers in Andorra and Croatia.
Speaking to the Liverpool Daily Post, Gerrard said: "The United game is too soon. 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."
"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 per cent because I'm missing training sessions and I don't feel right in games. I don't feel I can go to the max'.
"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."
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