Light at the end of the tunnel for Skrtel

Liverpool centre-half Martin Skrtel is targeting a return to the side in time for the hectic Christmas schedule.

The Slovakia defender has been out of the side since damaging a posterior ligament in early October against Manchester City, but he is making steady progress and is now looking to make a Christmas comeback.

"The injury is much better," Skrtel told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"It has been six weeks since the injury and I have stopped using the crutches, but obviously I have work to do in order to get the ligament back to what it was before.

"The pain when it happened was huge and I thought it was much worse than it actually was. Once I was back in the changing room I realised it was not as serious as I first feared.

"I was unhappy but injuries are part of football games.

"The first week or two was the worst but then I started to look forward to doing exercises that helped me to heel and speed up the recovery process."