Gerrard to miss four weeks

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will miss up to a month of football following groin surgery on Friday.

A statement on the club’s website confirmed the operation was a success, and that the decision to put the England international under the knife ‘was made following consultation with a specialist’.

Gerrard will likely miss Premier League clashes with Sunderland (away), West Bromwich Albion (away) and Manchester City (home), while he will also be absent for the Reds’ Europa League round-of-16 second-leg fixture against Sporting Braga at Anfield on Thursday, a tie they trail 1-0 after the first leg in Portugal.

The 30-year-old midfielder will also be out of their Europa League quarter-final first leg should they get past Braga, as well as England’s Euro 2012 qualifiers against Wales and Switzerland.