Daniel Agger was grimacing with every step as he ran toward the sidelines on Sunday. LiverpoolFC.tv reports the Liverpool defender was felled by an old enemy: a broken rib.
“I think Daniel has broken his rib,” LFC manager Kenny Dalglish said in his postgame press conference.
Agger was forced to leave the Carling Cup final in the 87th minute. Vice-captain Jamie Carragher replaced him for rest of the contest.
If Agger has indeed broken a rib, it will be at least the second time this season that he has suffered that same injury. He missed a month after suffering the same injury in a Sept. 18 Premier League game against Tottenham.
The Danish stopper has been at the heart of LFC’s defensive resurgence this season. The Reds have the league’s second best defensive record this season, and his partnership with Martin Skrtel deserves much of the credit.
The oft-injured Agger believes he may never play fully free from pain and injury.
“My body might not have been built to play football,” he said in November. “You have to learn to live with it and I have done that. It has been necessary at times.”
If the suspected broken rib keeps him out for a month — as it did five months back — Carragher will likely return to the starting 11. LFC will approach the back end of the season with Skrtel, Carragher, Sebastian Coates and Martin Kelly as its options in the center of the defense.
Review all the action from Sunday’s game in our Liverpool Live Blog.
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