More injury misery for Liverpool
Liverpool have confirmed Xabi Alonso and Chris Kirkland will be out for three months.
Midfielder Xabi Alonso will have an operation tomorrow on the broken ankle sustained against Chelsea on Saturday while goalkeeper Kirkland will undergo keyhole surgery on Friday for a back problem.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez had hoped Spaniard Xabi Alonso would only be sidelined for six weeks but a specialist yesterday confirmed he needs a screw inserting in the fracture in his left ankle in an operation which will keep him out for three months.
Kirkland also faces a similar length of time in the treatment room after it was decided he needs keyhole surgery on a disc in his lower back.
The news comes as a bitter blow for manager Rafael Benitez who has already had to contend with a series of long term injuries to key players this season.
Djibril Cisse, a £14million summer signing, will miss the rest of the campaign after breaking his leg in October.
Vladimir Smicer has not played this season because of a cartilage injury while Antonio Nunez suffered ligament damage on his first day's training and Steven Gerrard cracked a bone in his foot at Old Trafford in September.
