Liverpool striker Andy Carroll is expected to make his full club debut this Thursday against SC Braga in the Europa Cup.
The £35 million signing came on for the last 16 minutes of Liverpool’s 3-1 victory against Manchester United on Sunday after recovering from a thigh injury sustained in December.
With no reactions following the match, Carroll will now make his first start for Liverpool in Thursday clash in Portugal.
Liverpool’s head of sports medicine Peter Brukner said: “Unless anything goes wrong between now and Thursday, we’ll expect him to play for a longer period of time.”
The 22-year-old former Newcastle United striker signed for Liverpool on transfer deadline day in January for a British record £35 million despite suffering from a tear in the tendon above the knee – a rare injury.
But the club’s medical staff have not rushed the giant striker’s return with Carroll only resuming full training last week.
Carroll won’t be able to partner fellow new boy Luis Suarez on Thursday, however, with the exciting Uruguayan ineligible in the Europa Cup after playing for previous club Ajax in the competition earlier this season.
Also out of the match are full-backs Martin Kelly and the perennially crocked Fabio Aurelio who both have hamstring injuries.
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