Two Different Daniels, Two Different Reports

No one is getting too excited quite yet, but with reports streaming out that Daniel Sturridge could be in line for a return from injury against Stoke City this weekend, it’s hard to not giggle like a schoolgirl at the prospect of the SAS partnership being reunited.

The Reds got to welcome back skipper Steven Gerrard in the 2-0 win over League One side Oldham Athletic in the FA Cup over the weekend, and now another major attacking threat is on the verge of a comeback. The striker, who scored 9 league goals for Liverpool during the opening stages of the campaign before succumbing to an ankle ligament problem, has made a return to full training ahead of schedule to put himself in contention for a spot in the squad when Liverpool visit the Britannia Stadium on Sunday.

While Sturridge is more than on the mend, vice-captain Daniel Agger is not; the big Dane had to be substituted in the closing stages of Sunday’s match with a calf problem leaving Brendan Rodgers side to play with only 10-men. Although the Reds have yet to learn – or, more likely reveal – the extent of his injury, knowing Agger’s luck, he’s probably in for a spell on the treatment table. The only question is, for how long?

Liverpool already have one central defender crocked up with Mamadou Sakho sidelined with a hamstring problem he picked up in the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea over the festive period; at the beginning of December, we had four players fighting for two spots. Now, it looks like Kolo Toure and Martin Skrtel are the last two standing and are shoe-ins to start against Mark Hughe’s Stoke side this weekend. There were whispers that Agger , who was having a hard time getting a game anyways, could go out on loan with Rafa Benitez’s Napoli in pole position to snap him up for the remainder of the season, though it now seems like any chance of that has been scuppered. More on this if and when the club decides to tell us anything…