|
LIVERPOOL -- Liverpool centre-back Mamadou Sakho will be out for another two weeks with a thigh injury, according to assistant manager Colin Pascoe. But the Reds defender will not suffer any long-term consequences over his angry reaction to being left out of the squad for the Merseyside derby a month ago. Sakho left Anfield for the start of the 1-1 Premier League draw against Everton on Sept. 27, having learned that he was not in the squad for the game. He later apologised on Twitter -- as well as to manager Brendan Rodgers -- and although he has not played since, that is because of injury rather than for disciplinary reasons. The 24-year-old will not feature when Liverpool host Swansea in the Capital One Cup fourth round on Tuesday, because he is still not fit. But Pascoe says there will be no problem bringing in back in when he is ready. He said: "Mamadou's progressing well. He was unfortunate, in that he came back in and then picked up a similar injury. "It will be another couple of weeks for Mamadou, and then we hope he'll be ready. As soon as he's fit and raring to go, he's available." Pascoe, meanwhile, insists that striker Mario Balotelli is proving his will to win on the training ground despite a difficult start to his Liverpool career. The Italy international has scored once in 11 games since his 16 million-pound move from AC Milan in August, and was frustrated again as Liverpool were held 0-0 at home by Hull City in the Premier League on Saturday. Pascoe said: "Mario is a great talent and he's someone who always works hard on the training field. His hunger is there. He wants to win. "After every training session, he wants to do shooting, passing and work on his game -- and we hope that the coaches here can help him with that." Pascoe is confident that Liverpool's influx of summer signings will jell together given time, despite an uncertain start to the campaign. Rodgers brought in nine players over the summer -- although only eight are in his squad this season because Belgium forward Divock Origi was loaned back to French Ligue 1 club Lille for the season. The new-look Reds have won four out of their first nine Premier League games -- keeping two clean sheets -- and sit seventh in the table. "We have had a lot of new players coming in, and it takes time to jell together," Pascoe said. "But they'll be fine."
|
