Gerrard, Johnson & Agger return as Kop crisis clears

There have been false dawns before this season, but Liverpool could finally find themselves going into this weekend's Anfield clash with Manchester City with some good cheer at last. Where previous international breaks had seen Rafa Benitez's men return from duty with their countries in states of disrepair, the Spaniard can actually look forward to Saturday's game knowing that he will have Steven Gerrard, Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson all back for an important tie against the side looking to supplant Liverpool in the top four.

"Gerrard is doing well," Benitez told the Liverpool Daily Post. "He finished a full training session today so if he can carry on then he’ll be OK. Agger had a small problem with his back but he’s training. It was a very good decision from Denmark's manager (to withdraw Agger) because he is much better now. I think he'll be okay for the weekend. Johnson has been training. Not full sessions, but training, so hopefully he'll be OK for the weekend too."

Club captain Gerrard made a substitute appearance in the Birmingham game last Monday just before the break, and scored an all-important equalising penalty. He told the newspaper that “It took me two or three days to recover from that game but I have spent the past week doing strengthening work and I’m feeling a lot better now."

"I've had a problem in my groin that has taken a while to get over but I'm just relieved the second injection seems to have done the trick. I'm feeling good now, a lot stronger than before and it's just a question of getting my match sharpness back," the England midfielder said.

Striker Fernando Torres will however miss the game, as the club seek to complete his rehabilitation from a groin injury. While the Spanish hotshot will be sorely missed, Benitez is aware that the previous policy of playing his star player while only 80 per cent fit was more injurious to the long-term good of the player and the club so will attempt to sit him out until he is back to his best. Torres is likely to be replaced by David Ngog, despite the French under-21 breaking his nose on international duty.

Other absentees through injury include Fabio Aurelio (calf), and the hamstrung midfielders Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera. The latter pair were reported in the Daily Mail as having visited the Serbian alternative therapist Mariana Kovacevic, whose controversial horse placenta massages hit the headlines this week when Arsenal's crocked hitman Robin van Persie travelled to Belgrade for treatment.

And Kovacevic could be claiming a couple more successes, if Benitez's upbeat assessment of Benayoun and Riera's injuries is anything to go by. "I was talking about four weeks but they are working hard with the physios and doing special treatments. We have to check but maybe they'll be back earlier than expected." ·