Metatarsal injuries used to occur few and far between. However they seem to be in fashion during the last couple of seasons and no more so than in the past weeks. Scans on Liverpool duo Agger and Xabi Alonso have confirmed both players will be sidelined for up to 6 weeks with broken metatarsals. Both players sustained their injuries whilst on international duty for the Euro 2008 qualifiers.

Daniel Agger had been playing through the pain barrier but has now been sidelined. Alonso also aggravated his injury rather than resting and joins Agger on the injury list. Luckily neither player requires surgery for their injury a factor which would have further complicated matters. Liverpool are currently flying high in a rich vein of form. Rafa Benitez is lucky that he has sufficient cover for the new injuries. Javier Mascherano and Mohamed Sissoko can both replace the Spaniard. However, the Anfield outfit are not so flush in defence and need to rely on Sami Hypia in Agger’s absence.