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Liverpool´s Agger ready to put Milan and Madrid on hold
BLACKBURN, England (AFP) - Danish defender Daniel Agger insists he has no plans to swap the pursuit of an English Premier League title with Liverpool for a tilt at a winner's medal in Italy's Serie A or Spain's La Liga.
After failing to make the most of Chelsea's defeat by Arsenal last weekend -- they could only manage a goalless draw with West Ham -- league leaders Liverpool will seek to consolidate their place at the top of the table by beating struggling Blackburn at Ewood Park.
For Agger, it is an encounter that will take place against a background of uncertainty over his future.
The 23-year-old missed almost the whole of last season with a foot injury and Reds boss Rafael Benitez was forced to bring in another centreback, Martin Skrtel.
Slovakian Skrtel's fine form made him Benitez's first choice alongside Jamie Carragher even after Agger returned to fitness.
Skrtel has recently been sidelined himself with a knee injury, but Agger has yet to rediscover his best form and with his contract set to expire at the end of next season, has been linked with a move away from the Premier League leaders.
Real Madrid and Italian giants AC Milan have both been linked with bids in January but despite his deal running down, Agger is adamant he is happy with life at Anfield.
He said: "It's difficult to compare to how I was before, and I know there are some things I need to improve, but I can feel myself getting better and better with every game.
"Maybe I am not there yet, but I will be soon. Of course sometimes it's difficult but you have to keep working hard to improve yourself and that's what I am trying to do.
"It has been difficult with the injury last year but that's the past. Hopefully I'll be back to 100 per cent soon.
"Outside of the pitch I'm really happy. The people in Liverpool are so friendly. I feel at home."
Agger will be hoping to force his way back into the side after he was left on the bench for the frustrating draw with West Ham, while Fernando Torres will again be missing with a hamstring injury.
Without a win in nine Premier League games, Blackburn are facing a key phase of the season, with games against Wigan, Stoke and Sunderland to follow their clash with the Reds.
Despite sitting 19th in the table and with manager Paul Ince facing increasing pressure, Stephen Warnock, who started his career at Anfield, is adamant that Rovers will pull clear.
He said: "We are a better team than our league position suggests. We should have been a few goals ahead in a couple of games but let ourselves down.
"We have exceptional quality and have played fantastic attacking football. That's the way Paul Ince wants us to play and we are doing the right things but not killing teams off.
"It is important that we put our league position out of our minds. We have to take one game at a time because at this stage of the season each match is important.
"At the start of the season, we believed we would be pushing for a European spot but at the moment, we have to concentrate on getting out of the bottom three quickly.
"I believe the squad is capable of getting a European place though and everyone has to keep believing that.
"Our aim can't be simply avoid relegation because we're too good for that; it would be a complete waste of the talent we have."
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