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Cole and Johnson still missing for Liverpool

Sotirios Kyrgiakos has been a towering presence for Liverpool this season © PA Photos

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Liverpool will remain without England duo Joe Cole and Glen Johnson for Saturday's trip to Stoke, but there is better news regarding defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

Cole will have missed the Reds' last four matches after he sits out the weekend fixture at the Britannia Stadium, due to his ongoing hamstring problem picked up at Bolton. Hodgson remains vague over a possible return date for the former Chelsea man.

Liverpool had hoped to have Johnson back for Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Wigan, but he is still feeling the effects of a groin injury.

However, Greek centre-back Kyrgiakos has recovered from a bout of tonsillitis, handing Hodgson a dilemma in defence. Martin Kelly has started the Reds' last two games at right-back, but Hodgson could opt to switch Jamie Carragher out wide to accommodate the return of Kyrgiakos.

"I'm rather hoping that the two and a half days we'll have had after Wigan will have given us time to recover," Hodgson said of his thin squad. "I don't think we've got that many possibilities to make too many changes.

"We've got senior players like Johnson, Cole and Daniel Agger who are not fit to take part in the game, and then it's young players like Jonjo Shelvey, Jay Spearing and Danny Wilson.

"There isn't an enormous luxury to make wholesale changes. If we do make any at all it will be the odd one here and there because the team is functioning well.

"We're very aware that it's three very important games in six days, so we don't want to leave anything on the training field. We want all our energy, vitality and intensity when we go into the match."

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