Gerrard foot injury makes him the fifth in Eriksson squad
(The Sun)
Updated: 2004-09-22 14:16

Steven Gerrard’s broken metatarsal makes him the fifth of Sven Goran Eriksson’s squad to suffer such an injury in the past couple of years.

Skipper David Beckham, Gary Neville, Danny Murphy and Wayne Rooney have all fractured bones in their feet in the last two years.

And now Gerrard, 24, who suffered his injury twisting to take a pass from Xabi Alonso in Monday’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester United.

X-rays confirmed the break and the fears are he will be out for three months.

That would rule him out of Liverpool’s Champions League group games and England’s World Cup double-header against Wales and Azerbaijan next month.

Gerrard has broken his fifth metatarsal, the tiny bone midway down the little toe which is notorious for being a poor healer.

Everton physio Mick Rath- bone, who treated Rooney before the striker’s move to Old Trafford, reckons the demands of modern-day football hold the key.

He said: “When I was a player in the 1970s and 80s, I don’t remember anyone getting that kind of injury.

“Maybe the game is much quicker, putting more stress on players to twist and turn faster. That places greater stress on all bones in the foot.”

Gerrard’s blow is the lengthiest and most serious of his career, after overcoming a series of niggling problems a couple of years ago.

And the midfielder admitted: “It is bad timing because we are starting with a new manager, working on different things. It is a bit of a learning process for the players.”

At least Kop fans can take a crumb of comfort from the fact that Gerrard’s injury is not the devastating blow it would have been a year ago.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez insists his new-look squad has more strength in depth than before.

Benitez splashed out ￡10.7million to land Alonso from Real Sociedad and the Spaniard will be pushed forward in the captain’s absence.

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