IT is the one sentence that neatly encapsulates the thoughts of everyone associated with Liverpool.

When Glen Johnson was asked to surmise the recently-completed Anfield campaign, his response was simple.

“Next season can’t be as bad, surely,” said the right-back.

While Johnson was referring to the injury problems that hampered his debut term since arriving from Portsmouth for £17million, his words struck a universal chord at the club.

For the 25-year-old, there is now the chance to at least eradicate some of those memories with a trip to South Africa this summer.

Certainly, fitness won’t be a problem judging by Johnson’s encouraging performances during the warm-up victories against Mexico and Japan, the former of which saw the Liverpool man break his international duck with a spectacular strike.

And Johnson has an extra incentive after missing out on England’s last World Cup tilt in Germany in 2006.

Having earned his first cap three years earlier, Johnson lost his place as understudy to Gary Neville following a poor performance against Denmark in the build-up to the finals.

It meant the defender watched England’s disappointing World Cup campaign while on holiday in Dubai.

Now, however, Johnson is firmly established as England’s first-choice right-back under Fabio Capello and is raring to make amends for missing out last time.