Fears were growing that Steven Gerrard faces another lengthy injury absence after an infected ankle forced him to visit a Liverpool hospital on Sunday.
The midfielder was seen leaving hospital on crutches with his right leg in plaster up to the knee. He had fluid drained from the ankle and Liverpool hope the procedure will allow Gerrard a speedy recovery. The extent of the lay-off should be known in the next 48 hours.
The England international's recent medical history does not bode well. He had only just returned to action following a surgery on a groin problem that also became infected and which kept him on the sidelines for six months.
The ankle swelled up just before Saturday's game at West Brom, forcing Gerrard to miss the 2-0 victory. A small cut suffered in training on Friday is believed to have become infected. Gerrard looks certain to miss the Premier League game against Swansea at the weekend and England's friendlies with Spain and Sweden, which Fabio Capello is using to assess players for next summer's European Championship. He has not played for his country since the friendly defeat by France last November.
Kenny Dalglish attempted to be upbeat about Gerrard's predicament. "Steven has got an infection in his ankle," the Liverpool manager said on Saturday. "He was in our minds for the [West Brom] game and it just flared up. We will be more accurate next week [in terms of a prognosis]. It has nothing to do with any injures before. It's an infection. I suppose it's like having an abscess in your mouth."
Liverpool will be concerned how a small cut deteriorated so quickly. Gerrard travelled with the squad to the Midlands on Friday when he was already in some discomfort. The club's medical staff had thought it would not prevent him from facing Roy Hodgson's side but by Saturday morning it was clear he would have to return to Merseyside.
Another long lay-off is the last thing Gerrard needs. Groin surgery at the end of last season on a troublesome muscle injury ended the torment of having to have pain-killing injections to play. But infection delayed his return by three months and Gerrard said at the time he feared he would not play again after that setback. "There were times when I was as low as I've ever been as a footballer," he said. "It's only natural that you have doubts."
Liverpool have been able to call on his services only five times this season, with Gerrard marking his first start with a goal against Manchester United. The impact of the latest setback on the player and Liverpool's quest to regain Champions League status could be immense.