The Anfield captain missed the final two games of the season, plus England’s recent friendly double-header, but the club expects the midfielder to be fit ahead of the new campaign

Liverpool have denied reports that captain Steven Gerrard has suffered a setback in his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery.

The midfielder missed the final two games of the Premier League season, along with England’s friendly double-header against Republic of Ireland and Brazil, to fix the lingering, long term problem.

The Sun newspaper had reported earlier on Wednesday that Gerrard was set to miss the start of the 2013-14 campaign, but Liverpool have now insisted the skipper is still on track to return in time for pre-season preparations.

An official statement read: “Liverpool today quashed speculation regarding captain Steven Gerrard’s recovery from a recent shoulder operation.

“The Reds skipper underwent surgery in May to correct a recurrent injury and was forced to miss the club’s final two matches of the 2012-13 season.

“A newspaper report published on Wednesday suggested the 33-year-old has suffered a setback in his rehabilitation – but the club can report that Gerrard’s recovery remains fully on track.

“As stated originally, the club’s medical team are confident that the midfielder is on schedule for his comeback and expect Gerrard to be fit and ready for pre-season training.”

The Reds skipper made 44 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring 10 goals and notching 11 assists.