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Wednesday, 2 November 2011

Gerrard out of England Games


Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will miss Saturday's Premier League game against Swansea and England's friendlies against Spain and Sweden.

The midfielder has undergone treatment on an infected right ankle, which has been placed in a protective cast.

The problem caused Gerrard, who has only just returned after a six-month absence following groin surgery, to miss Saturday's 2-0 win at West Brom.

England play Spain at Wembley on 12 November and Sweden three days later.

Gerrard, 31, recently revealed his time out with the groin injury was one of the lowest points of his career.

The Reds skipper travelled to the Black Country with his team-mates last Friday only for his ankle to flare up on Saturday morning, ruling him out of the victory over Roy Hodgson's team.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said: "He was in our minds for the game, it just flared up. It's nothing to do with any injuries before, it's an infection."

Gerrard only returned to the side as a substitute against Brighton in the Carling Cup on 21 September.

Since then he has made two Premier League starts, against Manchester United and Norwich.

Gerrard and his wife Alex became parents for a third time with the announcement of the birth of their third daughter, Lourdes.

The girl was born at 1600 on Tuesday and weighed 7lb 15oz, the midfielder's spokesman said.

Gerrard was present at the birth and "both mum and baby are doing well", he said.