Melwood injury latest

Steve Clarke today confirmed Liverpool hope to have Steven Gerrard, Martin Kelly, Jonjo Shelvey and Fabio Aurelio back in full training next week.

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Gerrard has missed the Reds' last three matches after undergoing an operation on a groin complaint, while Kelly has been sidelined since sustaining a hamstring tear at West Ham.

A knee injury picked up in training has ruled Shelvey out of contention since early February and Aurelio was forced to limp out of the recent victory over Manchester United with a hamstring problem.

However, Clarke has revealed the quartet are making good progress and is optimistic they'll be able to step up their recuperation programmes next week.

Speaking about the current injury situation at Melwood, the first-team coach told Liverpoolfc.tv: "They're all improving.

"Fingers crossed, we will have Martin Kelly and Steven Gerrard back training by the middle of next week. We hope the same for Jonjo Shelvey, who has been out for a long time.

"Fabio Aurelio is also making good progress.

"They're our four longer-term injuries, the ones that have been causing us a bit of concern recently, but hopefully they'll all join in training next week."

Click the image below to watch our chat with Clarke

Due to the international break, Liverpool are not in action again until April 2 when they will take on West Bromwich Albion.

Clarke admits it's too soon to tell whether Gerrard, Kelly, Shelvey or Aurelio will come into contention for the trip to the Hawthorns - but he's confident they'll all have a part to play in what will be a testing month for Kenny Dalglish's contingent with fixtures against Manchester City, Arsenal and Birmingham to come.

"We'll have to look at the situation when we get them back and see what shape they're in," he said.

"If they're in contention (for West Brom) it's a bonus for us, but if they're not we've got other difficult matches coming up next month and if they're ready for them then it will be good for the football club."

Liverpool signed off for the international break with a stylish 2-0 triumph over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

Though Clarke acknowledges some fans may feel a tinge of frustration at having to wait two weeks to see the Reds in action again, he insists the hiatus will be put to good use at Melwood.

He said: "When you have a good win you want to continue, but you know the football calendar - it's there in black and white, so we knew this break was coming up.

"But it's an opportunity for us to get some of our injured players back before we face West Brom.

"It will be a difficult month in April with a lot of tough games, but if we can have our full squad ready to go then we'll look forward to the challenge."

The victory against the Black Cats has been hailed as one of Liverpool's most assured away displays of the season so far, particularly as it followed hot on the heels of a disappointing Europa League exit at the hands of SC Braga.

Clarke feels the manner of the Reds' performance in the north east is testament to the character amongst the squad.

"It was pleasing," he said. "Everybody at the football club was disappointed when we went out of Europe at such an early stage, but I think they bounced back at the Stadium of Light which is a difficult place to go and get a result.

"To go there and win in the manner in which we did was very pleasing.

"I think it tells you the players are willing to work for the club. They want to work hard.

"It was a big disappointment (to go out of Europe), but the players have proven they can bounce back from disappointments and as everybody in football knows, that's very important."

Following their Sunderland success, many of Liverpool's first-team stars jetted off around the globe to prepare for the forthcoming international schedule with their respective nations.

It's very much business as usual at Melwood, however, as Clarke, Dalglish and co have invited the reserve team to train at the club's training complex alongside the senior players who have remained on Merseyside.

"We have a smaller group left behind and sometimes when you have such a small group it's difficult," Clarke said.

"We had six players for training today, so it was an ideal opportunity to bring up the reserve-team group and train as one. That gave us 17 bodies out there training, which is good and we'll do that again tomorrow.

"The reserves play on Thursday night (against Everton), so they'll have to drop out and we'll have the smaller group again.

"We'll work Thursday and Friday with them and give them quality training sessions. Obviously with six bodies it is difficult to have the quantity, but we'll give them quality sessions."

With so many young players taking part in training at Melwood this week, Clarke is pleased to have a chance to assess their qualities at close quarters as they attempt to stake their claims for inclusion in the first team set up.

"I think it is always good when you get the opportunity to allow the young players to come up and get a look at them," he said.

"We've watched them in the U18 and reserve games as much as we can and you've seen this year there is progress to be made for the young players.

"Martin Kelly is a great example. He's come in and done really well for us. We've given a chance to some of the other young players too - John Flanagan has been involved with the first team for the last two weeks.

"We've shown there is a path from the youth team to the reserve team to the first team and that is important."