Soccer: Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will step up his comeback by returning to light training this week. He has not featured for the Reds since undergoing groin surgery in March and a scheduled return this month was postponed when he contracted an infection relating to the operation.

But the England international continues to be on target for his revised comeback date of mid-September and is ready to increase his training. Manager Kenny Dalglish admitted: “Stevie will be stepping up his recovery this week.”

Martin Skrtel, absent throughout pre-season, is also back in training after a calf problem but Dalglish is waiting to discover the extent of Fabio Aurelio’s Achilles problem.