Soccer

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/mar/01/liverpool-andy-carroll-manchester-united

Liverpool hope Andy Carroll and others will face Manchester United

- Raul Meireles, Daniel Agger and Fábio Aurélio all near fitness
- Coach Steve Clarke upbeat about injured players' prospects

Liverpool's first-team coach, Steve Clarke, has said that Raul Meireles,
Daniel Agger and Fábio Aurélio all have a chance of facing Manchester
United on Sunday. The record signing Andy Carroll is also close to making
his first appearance for the club.

Carroll last played in Newcastle United's 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur
on 28 December and he was not involved in Liverpool reserves' game against
Blackburn on Monday. However, the £35m striker, who has a thigh injury,
has returned to training with Kenny Dalglish's first-team squad and will
be assessed towards the end of the week, with a view to making his debut
against United.

Meireles and Martin Kelly were injured in Sunday's defeat at West Ham.
Kelly will be out for a month, having torn a hamstring, but Meireles could
play despite suffering a knee injury at Upton Park.

Clarke said: "We're hopeful. He [Meireles] had a little problem with his
knee and as a precaution at the start of the second half we thought it was
better to take him off. That gives him a better chance of being ready for
the next game. He'll get three or four days on the easier list and then
hopefully towards the end of the week we'll be able to put him back in the
preparations for the weekend."

Liverpool were also without Agger, Aurélio and Sotirios Kyrgiakos at West
Ham but the Dane and the Brazilian, who suffered leg and adductor injuries
in the Europa League tie against Sparta Prague, are due back in full
training.

"They are both on the easy list at the moment," Clarke said. "We're almost
sure Fábio Aurélio will join us on Thursday and we're hopeful Daniel will
join us on Thursday or Friday at the latest."

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