Football Preview - Joe Cole to Return to Liverpool on Sunday
Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole should be fit and available for selection for Sunday’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur. The former Chelsea playmaker has been sidelined since sustaining a hamstring injury in the Reds’ 1-0 win at Bolton Wanderers. Cole has missed the club’s last four Barclays Premier League matches, including Saturday’s 3-0 win against former club West Ham United.
Proven Football Betting StrategyWith Steven Gerrard and Lucas currently unavailable, the return of Cole from injury comes as a welcome boost for manager Roy Hodgson. He said: “Joe should be back for Sunday. We were hoping he would be back to face West Ham, but it has taken that little bit longer. “Joe is not that far away really, so hopefully he will have recovered in time for Tottenham.
“Hamstring injuries are tricky and I’m afraid we can only rely on what the sports science people tell us, and if they say he needs more time we just have to wait.” Having endured their worst start to a campaign since 1953/54 with six points from eight matches, Liverpool have now accrued 13 from their last six outings with Saturday’s 3-0 win at home to West Ham United.
Bold Conclusions
They are just six points away from a Champions League spot but Hodgson thinks that his side is still being judged on their early-season form. “There are two games this year which have done us untold damage,” he said. “The first was when a total reserve team - although it does not seem to have been noticed we had 14 first-team players who didn’t play - lost to Northampton in the Carling Cup.
“The other was the disastrous (2-1) defeat to Blackpool at the end of a three-match week when we played in Europe. “Those two defeats were costly for us because they encouraged people to make bold conclusions but we’ve lost once in eight (in all competitions). “There are still a lot of things to do but what pleased me against West Ham was the shape, discipline and organisation of the team.
“If we can keep that going with the quality of players we have got we can have a good season. “Don’t ask me what a good season is because I don’t know but after the start we have had where we are now is making us feel pretty pleased.”