Carragher ready to fill a gap

Versatile Jamie Carragher is on standby to play at the heart of Liverpool’s defence in their most important game of the season.

The Bootle-born defender could be asked to fill in for the injured Stephane Henchoz when Liverpool put their Champions League dreams on the line on Saturday evening at Birmingham.

Anything but a victory at St Andrews will put Liverpool’s hopes of finishing fourth in the Barclaycard Premiership in very real peril, with Aston Villa and Newcastle breathing down their necks.

Champions League qualification rivals Villa will have already played at Southampton by the time Liverpool take to the field in the West Midlands, just to add extra pressure to Gerard Houllier’s team.

And Carragher could well find his versatility extended once again if Henchoz does not recover from a groin injury.

Houllier said: “Stephane’s fitness is improving every day and we will assess him at the end of the week. But Jamie filled in for him at the weekend and he fully deserved the man-of-the-match award.”

Carragher stepped into the heart of defence in the 2-0 win over Middlesbrough when Henchoz failed to appear in the second half, and did an outstanding job.

Houllier has no fears about making such a move again – which would mean Steve Finnan returning to right-back – in Liverpool’s penultimate game of the season which they must win to take the battle for fourth spot to the final match of the season against Newcastle still in pole position.

Houllier admits to having great faith in Carragher and also believes he should be in Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England squad for Euro 2004.

Houllier says: “Jamie rarely gets the recognition, as much as he deserves it. But we know his qualities here.

“He is useful in many different positions and that’s why I think England should take him to Euro 2004.

"I don’t want to put pressure on Sven because I know how difficult his job is but Carra can play left-back, right-back, centre-half and centre midfield, and you need players in the squad that are versatile.

“His skill level has also really improved. He is more composed on the ball and technically he can do things now which I wasn’t used to seeing.

“This is because he trains well and always gives 100% every day. He knows he is appreciated here. After all, we gave him a new contract when his leg was still in plaster earlier in the season.”