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LIVERPOOL FC have received a welcome boost ahead of today’s clash with Queens Park Rangers at Anfield after skipper Steven Gerrard returned to light training.

The talismanic LFC midfielder has been sidelined since he was diagnosed with an ankle infection six weeks ago.

However, Gerrard was pictured being put through his paces away from the main group by the Liverpool FC's head of fitness and conditioning Darren Burgess at Melwood yesterday.

No date has been put on the 31-year-old’s comeback but the fact he’s back running again will raise hopes that he will be involved over the festive period.

“It’s all part of Steven’s natural progression,” said boss Kenny Dalglish.

“We’ve been delighted with his progress and that’s continuing.

“But we have never put a time frame on when he will be back playing and we won’t now.”

Gerrard hasn’t played since the game against Norwich City on October 22 as his ankle flared up on the eve of the Reds’ trip to West Brom a week later.

His anticipated return later this month will be timely with Liverpool FC facing a hectic Christmas schedule of four league games in the space of 13 days.

Meanwhile, Dalglish admits the Reds can’t afford another hard luck story against QPR today.

On numerous occasions this season missed chances have cost them points and the manager is keen to improve upon a return of 17 goals from 14 league games.

“We feel that we’ve had the opportunities to win just about every game this season, apart from at Tottenham,” he said.

“It is true we haven’t scored enough goals. We have made enough chances, and we haven’t taken them – but it’s not down to any one individual.

“It’s easy to single out the strikers, to say that Andy Carroll’s not scored for so many months, but he’s not played all our games.

“We’ve hit the woodwork 14 times this season. If just half of those go in then we would have six or eight more points and our position would look different.

“There have been some brilliant performances against us, but you can’t keep saying the goalkeepers have been brilliant or we’ve been unlucky with the woodwork.”

Luis Suarez is the Reds’ top scorer but he hasn’t added to his four league goals since the win at Goodison in October.

The striker found himself hit with a second FA charge this week but Dalglish knows he will be guaranteed a warm reception at Anfield.

“It is not a problem if Luis scores or doesn’t score, that isn’t the important thing,” he added. “What is important is the contribution he makes to the team. That is the test for everybody – and his contribution has been fantastic.

“He’ll continue to play the way he plays and terrorise people. All we ask is consistency, that he is judged the way everybody else is judged. In adversity every segment of the football club must pull together, and that is what we have done.

“They will all get together and be right behind Luis on Saturday because at the end of the day they know that he’s not getting a fair crack of the whip.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s youngsters will face Tottenham in the last eight of the NextGen Series. The Londoners will have home advantage for the game which will be played in the new year.