Brendan Rodgers delighted to have Martin Skrtel back for FA Cup semi-final

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How good is it to have the defender back for the game?

Ahead of the FA Cup semi-final with Aston Villa, Brendan Rodgers is delighted to have centre-back Martin Skrtel at his disposal once again.

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The Slovakian has missed the last three games through suspension, after being retrospectively banned for an alleged stamp on David De Gea. And while, we may have beaten Blackburn in the quarter-final replay, and then Newcastle in his absence, his presence has definitely been missed.

The first game that the 30-year-old missed was the heavy defeat against Arsenal, where the defence struggled to cope without his leadership. And against the Magpies, Dejan Lovren was perhaps lucky not to have given away a penalty for a needless challenge – one that it would be difficult to imagine Skrtel making.

According to the Daily Express, his manager agrees that his defender has been a key member of the squad this season, and it will be great to have him back marshalling the back line.

“He’s been outstanding this season, whether we’ve played in a back-four or a back-three.

“In the last couple of years he’s really come to the fore in terms of the team. It’s great to have him back,” he explained.

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