Johnson fitness boost for Reds

21 July 2009 10:16
Glen Johnson is confident he will be fit to return to pre-season action as he continues to settle at Liverpool. The full-back joined the Reds from Portsmouth this summer in a reported £18million deal, but missed Sunday's friendly defeat to Rapid Vienna in Austria. Anfield boss Rafa Benitez has explained Johnson's absence was a precautionary measure because the England international had a slight Achilles tendon problem. And the 24-year-old is confident he will be fit to feature in Liverpool's pre-season tour of Asia, which kicks off with a match against Thailand on Wednesday. "I think I should be okay to play tomorrow," he told a press conference shown on Sky Sports News on Tuesday. "The injury is getting much better by the day." Johnson is happy in his new surroundings and is hopeful he can help the Reds end their long wait for a Premier League title. "The early days at Liverpool have been fantastic," he added. "Everybody has been brilliant to me and I feel like I am settling in really fast. "Obviously, they are right up there with the world's best. "They showed that with how close they came last season. If a few minor errors are cut out, there would be a massive improvement." But Johnson acknowledges that he will not be guaranteed a place in Liverpool's first XI and will need to focus on his game. He added on the club's official website: "I want to play with the consistency I had at Portsmouth "But I want to improve both the defensive and attacking side of my game. I want to establish myself in the team." Meanwhile, Benitez has hinted that the Spanish contingent of his squad, who returned late to pre-season due to involvement in the Confederations Cup, could be involved against Thailand at a humid Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok. He said: "The Spanish players came back late and have only trained for two days, so we will need to manage them carefully, especially in these conditions. "Most of the squad will play some part in the game."

Source: SKY_Sports