Gerrard back on the treatment table
Steven Gerrard's injury woes surfaced again yesterday with the news that he has been sent for an X-ray on a thigh problem.
The Liverpool and England midfielder has only recently recovered from the hernia operation he underwent after pulling out of the World Cup Finals.
Gerrard, 22, suffered a groin injury on the last day of the Premiership season and was forced to miss out on England's Far East adventure.
That was the latest in a long line of setbacks for the injury-prone midfielder. He played 45 games for Liverpool last season and looked to be finally showing the resilience needed to flourish at the highest level only for the groin injury to strike.
Anfield boss Gerard Houllier will study the results of yesterday's tests before deciding how to handle this latest puzzle in the brilliant youngster's career.
Liverpool have the option of bringing forward the signing of Senegal World Cup star Salif Diao from Sedan if the problem looks serious.
Houllier said: 'We will decide what to do after the scan. I don't think it is major, but we will wait and see. 'If it becomes a recurring problem with him then we will bring in Diao earlier.'
Gerrard will definitely miss tonight's friendly against Lazio at Anfield but could be fit to figure in the Real Madrid centenary tournament this weekend if he is given the all-clear but the return of his old stop-start schedule is a worry.
Houllier yesterday completed his fifth summer signing by snapping up French goalkeeper Patrice Luzi from Monaco on a free transfer. Luzi, 21, will be fourth choice behind Jerzy Dudek, Chris Kirkland and Pegguy Arphexad.
