Martin Skrtel: I feared my career was over after injury

Oct 10 2008

Martin Skrtel 200

MARTIN SKRTEL has revealed he feared his career was over following his horror injury last weekend.

The Slovakia international crumpled to the ground in agony after catching his studs in the turf during the closing moments of Liverpool’s 3-2 win at Manchester City on Sunday.

Skrtel required oxygen before being carried from the Eastlands pitch on a stretcher, with scans revealing the centre-back had suffered damage to the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

A subsequent visit to a specialist determined surgery was not required with the relieved defender hopeful of returning to action before Christmas.

But Skrtel admits such a quick recovery was far from his mind when he sustained the injury.

“The pain was unbearable,” he said. “I can’t remember a lot about the moment – but it was terrible. I thought that was the end for me.

“I have never suffered anything like that before but I remained conscious and they gave me oxygen to help with the pain.

“I was in shock for a while but now I am coming to terms with what happened. It hurts still, but things are getting better.”

With Skrtel sidelined, Daniel Agger is now expected to step up to resume a centre- back partnership with Jamie Carragher that was curtailed by the Dane’s broken metatarsal last September.