The Reds manager insists that there are no immediate plans for his captain to have an operation on his long-standing shoulder injury, contrary to earlier reports

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has denied suggestions that Steven Gerrard is set to undergo shoulder surgery.

First team coach Mike Marsh hinted on Wednesday that the captain would require an operation to correct a long-standing injury but the boss insists that there are currently no such plans in place.

“There’s nothing in that at all, really,” Rodgers told reporters. “You’ll have noticed over the last year or so, whether he’s been playing for Liverpool or England, he’s had some taping and strapping on his shoulder but there is no immediate surgery planned.

“We’re just going to see how it goes between now and the end of the season.

“He’s dealt well with it and performed remarkably well, so there is no decision on it at all.”

The former Swansea City boss was keen to pay tribute to Gerrard after it was announced that the 32-year-old will be rewarded with a testimonial match against Olympiakos in August.

“He thoroughly deserves it,” the Northern Irishman enthused. “He’s been an incredible player for the football club and, like the man that he is, he didn’t want the testimonial to get in the way of our preparations.

“It’s something that he will thoroughly deserve and should be a great day for him.”

The Liverpool boss strongly defends the under-fire forward after what he sees as an excessive 10-game ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic, insisting that he has not been let down

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has strongly defended Luis Suarez, insisting that the forward should not be “thrown to the garbage” over his bite on Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.

The Reds star was hit with a 10-game ban for sinking his teeth into the Serbian on Sunday. The club had fined him and indicated that they would accept a punishment from the Football Association but have reacted with shock at the length of the suspension.

Asked by reporters if he had been let down by Suarez, Rodgers replied: “No, not at all. I believe if I had half a dozen more players with a similar mentality then we would be in a different position as a football club.

“He hasn’t let me down one bit. He’s a player that, the standards that are set at the club, he fell way below those because this is a club that’s based on that respect and standard.

“But that doesn’t mean he should be thrown to the garbage, which is what has happened with a lot of people in these last couple of days, and it’s certainly something I won’t be prepared to do.

“He’s a boy that’s working tirelessly, him and his family, to fit in to the life and the way it is in this country, and unfortunately for him he’s made a mistake and he’s got a sanction that I don’t believe fits what he did.”

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina blasted the FA on Thursday for what he sees as different treatment for Suarez because of his Uruguayan background or personal history and Rodgers agreed that the ban seemed to be targeting the striker specifically.

“For me, I can’t help but look at it, and look at the sanction that’s been put on Luis for the incident, and I honestly feel that the punishment has been against the man, rather than the incident,” he argued.

“I think of course there was a lot of euphoria around the time it happened but whenever you come away from it and you look at the cold light of day and assess it, then it’s violent conduct.

“The football club admitted it, Luis admitted it, he understood he needed to be punished but I think what we’ve got is a punishment with absolutely no intention with what was helping the rehabilitation of the player and that’s what’s disappointed.

“Maybe you need a bit of help. The player needs a bit of help and that’s something we’ll look to provide here as a football club and our supporters and our city – and something that I would expect any football club or business to do.”

When questioned as to whether Suarez might have a specific psychological issue, Rodgers insisted: “No. What I’m saying is, is in modern life, whether you’re a football player, a plumber, a joiner, a bricklayer, you work in a warehouse, you’re not immune to your issues and problems, especially if you’re a footballer.

“Because you might have a bit more money than someone else, it doesn’t rule out that sometimes there might be something clinical that is wrong with someone.

“All we’re saying is that whatever the issue is – the behavioural issue – we will do everything we can to support that person and that person now is Luis Suarez.”

The 30-year-old says his colleague has been treated differently to others in the past, referencing recent racism cases, while suggesting the forward may leave as a result

Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina has blasted the Football Association for handing team-mate Luis Suarez a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.

The forward dug his teeth into the Serb’s arm during the Premier League match on Sunday, but escaped punishment at the time as the referee missed the incident.

The FA then issued the Uruguayan with the 10-match suspension after reviewing video evidence of the clash, seven more than the standard violent conduct charge, and the Merseyside outfit’s goalkeeper believes his colleague is being discriminated against.

He told Spanish radio station Cadena Cope: “I consider myself a friend of Luis. People in England are treating him different because he is Uruguayan or because he has had a previous episode like this.

“He knows he is wrong but a 10-game ban seems to me absurd, out of proportion and excessive. It seems that the people making the decisions have got it in for Luis a little bit.

“I know Luis and I know that he is the complete opposite [off the pitch]. He is a magnificent person and great team-mate.

“But because of the way he plays, he is aggressive and very competitive, he plays like a street player and sometimes the way he is gets him into trouble. Sometimes his strong temper does not help him.”

The 30-year-old then referenced recent racism cases, involving Suarez and others such as John Terry, to highlight his claim that the punishment given to his teammate is too harsh and inconsistent.

“There is a lot of hypocrisy,” he continued. “In England there [is a] very sensationalist media that pay more attention to some than others. In the racism cases: the one with proof got a four-game ban [Terry] and Luis got eight matches.

“There have been other times and it seems there is a rule that if the referee has seen it then nothing further can be done. [If] he was an English player I think the treatment [would be] different.”

The former Ajax forward’s latest moment of controversy has only added to speculation about a possible move in the summer, with Reina admitting it is affecting his family and indicating the striker would find no shortage of offers should he decide to leave.

“Right now he is a Liverpool player,” he said. “He is having a bad time of it and so is his family. He is certainly good enough to fit into any team in the world.”