Voronin injury means Liverpool FC won't sell Peter Crouch

Jan 26 2008 by Chris Beesley, Liverpool Daily Post

PETER CROUCH’S future at Liverpool seems secure – for now at least – due to Andriy Voronin’s injury.

The England international had been widely tipped to be heading for the Anfield exit door in the near future after slipping down Rafael Benitez’s pecking order.

Crouch has netted 35 times for Liverpool since his £7million move from Southampton two-and-a-half years ago but has started just four Premier League games all season despite Voronin not scoring in his last 11 matches and Dirk Kuyt failing to register in nine games.

However, with Voronin expected to be out for six weeks following confirmation that he needs an ankle operation to repair ligament damage, Benitez will not be prepared to let Crouch go despite the likes of Manchester City and Newcastle United believed to be monitoring his availability.

Ukrainian Voronin, a Bosman free transfer acquisition from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, will certainly miss the first leg of Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Internazionale next month.

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Spanish full-back Alvaro Arbeloa is also expected to be out for the next three weeks with an abdominal injury while centre-back Daniel Agger is at least another two weeks away from a possible first team return.

Meanwhile, the Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield has been put back from 3pm on Saturday, March 29 to 4pm on Sunday, March 30 to accommodate Sky TV coverage.

However, the game will revert back to Saturday (kick-off to be confirmed) in the event that Liverpool are involved in the Champions League on Tuesday, April 1.