[lfc-news] Alonso and Kirkland out for three months - Echo

Liverpool Echo, 5 Jan 2005
Alonso and Kirkland out for three months
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL will be without influential midfielder Xabi Alonso for three months.

The Spanish play-maker needs an operation on the broken ankle he suffered in Saturday's defeat to Chelsea.

And Rafa Benitez was handed more bad news after it was confirmed Chris Kirkland will also be sidelined for three months.

The keeper will undergo surgery to cure a persistent back problem.

Liverpool had initially hoped Alonso would only be missing for six weeks, but a specialist yesterday confirmed he needs a screw inserting into the fracture in his left ankle. He will undergo the operation tomorrow and will need three months to recover.

Kirkland will have keyhole surgery on Friday to repair a disc in his back.

Liverpool spokesman Ian Cotton said: "Both players require operations and will be out for three months."

Meanwhile, Benitez is considering turning to his young guns for the tricky FA Cup tie at Burnley on Friday.

Benitez has shown how much faith he has in his Academy graduates by promoting the youngsters during Carling Cup ties.

Stephen Warnock, David Raven and John Welsh were all included in the squad at Norwich, and they're set to be joined by Zak Whitbread in the party which heads to Turf Moor.

Benitez's priority remains securing a Champions League spot in the Premiership and he'll have no hesitation using more inexperienced players in the cups.

Using the January transfer window to strengthen the forward line remains his first task, although patience is starting to wear thin with Fernando Morientes' agent, Gines Carvaja, who spent yesterday in talks with Lyon.

The longer Benitez waits for the deal to bring the striker to Merseyside to be struck, the greater Nicolas Anelka's chances of returning to Anfield are.

* Benitez has told Igor Biscan to make his mind up about his future, having given the Croatian permission to talk to other clubs.

The manager is prepared to keep Biscan until the end of the season, but only if he believes the player wants to stay.