Groin injury may keep Steven Gerrard of Liverpool out of England games

Liverpool are waiting to discover if Steven Gerrard needs surgery on a groin injury that could rule him out of England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales this month. Gerrard was the notable absentee from the Liverpool squad that travelled to Portugal for the Europa League last‑16 first leg against Braga on Thursday, having suffered from the groin problem since the victory over Chelsea on 6 February. The 30-year-old missed England's friendly win in Denmark last month and three Liverpool games as a consequence and despite playing recently against West Ham United and Manchester United he has not fully recovered. The Liverpool captain has had tests this week and a decision on the best course of treatment is expected on Friday. The club's manager, Kenny Dalglish, has refused to rule out surgery for the player and should Gerrard have an operation he would be likely to miss the Wales game, on 26 March, and England's friendly against Ghana three days later. "For us and for Steven it is a niggling problem that we've got to find a solution to," Dalglish said. "We will know better by the end of the week. By Friday we will know where we stand. Hopefully it is going to be cleared up and he'll be available for most matches. Everybody has got to be carefully managed, whether they are fully fit or slightly fit. We will know better on Friday. We won't speculate about anybody, especially Steven. It is a minimal problem but it is a problem that needs to be fixed. If we've got time to get it fixed we'll get it fixed." Liverpool will equal a club record of 14 games unbeaten in Europe if they do not lose at the Estádio Municipal, a strange two-sided stadium inside a quarry. But a Europa League campaign against mediocre opposition has not stirred the senses. Four of Liverpool's past seven matches in the competition have ended 0-0 and they have scored once in four away games. Up front, with Luis Suárez ineligible and Andy Carroll expected to be given more time than his 16-minute appearance against Manchester United but not to start, David Ngog is likely to be given a chance. "We have to be responsible and both Andy and ourselves have to be patient," Dalglish said. Support will come from Raul Meireles on his first club appearance on Portuguese soil since moving from Porto last summer. The Portugal midfielder has scored five goals in six games and, having operated in several positions under Roy Hodgson, says a tactical switch has prompted his improved contribution under Dalglish. "The biggest difference is that with this manager I am playing in a different position on the pitch and that is why I am scoring so many at the moment," said Meireles, who added that Braga were "a tough competitor" despite their failure this season to recreate the form that earned them a runners-up place behind Benfica and Champions League qualification last year. Braga beat Celtic to reach this season's Champions League group stage. There, the club whose nickname is "The Arsenalists", due to the resemblance of their home kit to that worn by the English side, lost 6-0 to Arsène Wenger's team at the Emirates but won 2-0 at home. SC Braga (probable, 4-2-3-1): Artur; Garcia, Kaká, Rodríguez, Silvio; Salino, Hugo Viana; Alan, Mossoro, Paulo César; Lima. Liverpool (probable, 4-2-3-1): Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Wilson; Lucas, Poulsen; Kuyt, Meireles, Cole; Ngog. Referee S Gumienny (Bel).