Source: Telegraph
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard on course to face Real Madrid
The Liverpool captain limped off during his club's 1-0 FA Cup replay defeat to Everton after tearing the muscle in his left leg and was ruled out for a minimum of three weeks, triggering fears he would not be fit to travel to Spain. [LNB]A similar injury suffered by Wayne Rooney ruled the Manchester United player out for more than a month, but Gerrard started a programme of light running on Monday and is said to be "optimistic" he will recover from the injury on schedule. [LNB]He is likely to miss Sunday's Premier League visit of Manchester City as a precaution but will return when Liverpool walk out at the Bernabeu on Feb 25. [LNB]His expected return for the game with Real has caused a flurry of conspiracy theories in Spain that Benitez and Liverpool deliberately overestimated his period on the sidelines to flummox the Spanish club, with Madrid's unofficial mouthpiece, the sports newspaper Marca, saying: "Rafa, your tricks won't work – Gerrard will play in the Bernabeu."[LNB]Two footballers have been charged in connection with the same nightclub brawl which saw Gerrard accused of assault. Accrington Stanley goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin, 28, and their midfielder, Robert Grant, 18, were both charged with affray, Merseyside Police said. A third man, Paul McGrattan, 31, was also charged with affray and assaulting a police officer. [LNB]Gerrard remains on bail after appearing in court charged with assault and affray last month. He was arrested in the early hours of Dec 29 after a disturbance at a nightclub in Southport. [LNB]Company director Marcus McGee, 34, required hospital treatment after receiving facial injuries in the incident. [LNB]Gerrard's solicitor indicated at his first court appearance that he would plead not guilty to the charges against him. [LNB]He is due to before North Sefton Magistrates again on March 20. [LNB]
