Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish was pleased as Steven Gerrard returned to light training this week.

According to reports in the Guardian, the Liverpool midfielder is on schedule to recover from the infection that prevented him from playing in their 1-1 draw with Sunderland last weekend.

He was scheduled to return to action in August after groin surgery in March earlier this year, but had to postpone his return after the infection.

However, Dalglish announced that the player was on his way back to fitness, saying:"Stevie will be stepping up his recovery this week".

The England star is expected to return to the pitch mid-September, and will still not be able to make England's European Championship qualifiers against Bulgaria and Wales in September, much to Three Lions manager Fabio Capello's disappointment.

There was other good news at Anfield as Martin Skrtel is also scheduled to return to training after recovering from a calf injury sustained in pre-season, though that was tempered by yet another injury to Fabio Aurelio, who damaged his achilles tendon in training on last Friday.

Looking back at the draw against Sunderland, new signing Jose Enrique gave striker Andy Carroll a pat on the back for his performances, and believes that the Englishman will soar at Merseyside sooner than later.

"Andy was brilliant for us at Newcastle and I am sure he will be the same for Liverpool," the Spaniard said. "He is a very, very good player. When a club like Liverpool pays £35m for Andy, I know it is not by chance. It is because they think he is a good player.

"I watched him play last season and I knew he wasn't fit here. I don't care if the player is Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, if a player is not fit, then he cannot play properly. He is playing very well in his position and he is going to be an important player this season."

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