Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel is hoping to be back playing soon from a serious knee injury, with a date of before the New Year a possibility. The Slovakian centre-back said, "I don't know exactly the date but the predictions were for before Christmas and I am hoping it is as soon as possible.

"The injury is much better. It has been six weeks since the injury and I have stopped using the crutches, but obviously I have work to do in order to get the ligament back to what it was before."