Steven Gerrard will miss Liverpool's clash with Man City on Sunday and there is still no date in place for when the midfielder will return.
Liverpool will not be drawn on captain's return from ankle infection
Steven Gerrard will miss Liverpool's clash with Manchester City on Sunday and there is still no date in place for when the midfielder will return.
The England international has seen his season so far wrecked by injury, with groin surgery from last term keeping him out of action until he was eased back into the side in September.
But an ankle infection sustained in late October has put him back on the treatment table and he has missed their last three outings either side of the international break.
The 31-year-old, who has made just two starts and three substitute appearances this term, is not under consideration for Sunday's Anfield showdown with the Premier League leaders.
Date
And while Reds boss Kenny Dalglish continues to insist that he is happy with Gerrard's rate of recovery, he was not prepared to offer any hints as to when his captain would be back on the field.
"Like we've already said, we are delighted with the progress he's making and we've said that we won't put a date on his return - and we won't put a date on it now," Dalglish told a press conference shown on
Sky Sports News.
"We are very happy with his progress.
"Everyone is available (for Sunday) apart from Steven and Jack Robinson."
Delighted
Dalglish paid tribute to the form of right-back Glen Johnson, who scored the winning goal in last weekend's dramatic victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
But the Anfield manager would not be drawn into the ongoing debate over who should fill the role for England, with the continual exclusion of Manchester City's Micah Richards from Fabio Capello's plans raising eyebrows.
Dalglish said of Johnson: "Well he's fit. He's playing really well. We are delighted with the way he's been playing.
"At the moment for us he's in the right-back position and that's the only team we want to pick. No-one else tries to pick our team so why should we pick theirs."
