The timing of Steven Gerrard's groin operation was conceived to assist his club at the expense of his country, so there will have been rueful looks exchanged by Fabio Capello and his staff yesterday as it emerged that the midfield player should be fit for Liverpool's Barclays Premier League match against Manchester United in nine days.

Capello was aggrieved to learn that Gerrard would have surgery a week ago, ruling him out of the matches against Andorra in Barcelona on Saturday and Croatia in Zagreb on Wednesday, and contacted Rafael Benítez, the Liverpool manager, on Friday for an explanation. Benítez cleared the air with the England manager, saying that it was a serious problem that needed to be addressed urgently, but, with the operation having gone well, Gerrard, who missed Liverpool's goalless draw away to Aston Villa on Sunday, is on course to face United at Anfield a week on Saturday.

“Steven is OK,” Benítez said. “He has started with bicycle work and will start jogging, so I think he will be ready soon.”

Another player who could be involved against United is Jermaine Pennant, who has yet to feature for Liverpool this season and has not even been among the substitutes for the past four matches. Benítez was determined to sell the winger before the transfer window closed on Monday and was disappointed that he rejected a proposed £4million move to Blackburn Rovers, but Pennant is expected to return to the first-team squad and may be offered a one-year contract extension as Liverpool look to guard against the danger of losing him on a free transfer at the end of the season.

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Pennant signed a three-year contract when he joined Liverpool from Birmingham City in 2006, but the Merseyside club have the option of extending that deal for a fourth year. They are expected to exercise that option, even though Pennant is likely to remain on the market when the transfer window reopens in January.