The 31-year-old has hailed the work of the club's coaching and medical staff in helping him back to fitness, and is hoping to feature in Friday's clash with Newcastle at Anfield
Liverpool's Steven Gerrard is hoping that his injury woes are over following his comeback to first-team football against Blackburn on Monday.
The Anfield captain has made just six appearances this campaign after a groin injury forced him to miss the final two-and-a-half months of the 2010-11 season.
A further infection to that injury meant he missed the beginning of manager Kenny Dalglish's first full season in charge, before a freak ankle infection has kept him on the sidelines for the past eight weeks.
“It's just great to be back involved again and be back with my team-mates," Gerrard told the club's official website.
"The last eight weeks have been really long. It was a freak injury and coming so soon after being out for so long with my groin it's been absolute torture.
"I've just had to work so hard to get back again and now I'm looking forward to playing games.
"Coming on against Blackburn was special. The reception I got when I came on was really touching and it meant a lot to me.
"There have been a lot of lonely days in the gym this year when you struggle to motivate yourself. But moments like that on Monday night make it all worthwhile.
"The support I've had from the supporters throughout has been magnificent and I want to thank them for that."
Gerrard will be hoping to feature in Liverpool's clash with Newcastle on Friday, as he looks ahead to being fully-fit for 2012, and the 31-year-old will be hoping to reclaim his place in Fabio Capello's England squad ahead of next summer's European championships.
He added: "I have worked my socks off over the past eight weeks and I feel really good.
"I'm feeling in great condition and all I need now is minutes under my belt to get the sharpness back.
"Kenny knows me inside out and he will know when the time is right for me to come in from the start. He will make the decision and I will just follow his lead.
"Hopefully I'll play some part in the game against Newcastle and we all want to finish 2011 on a high.
"Without doubt I'll be glad to see the back of 2011. It's been tough but that's all in the past now.
"We have got a massive game against Newcastle and we need to take care of that and finish this year on a high before we start thinking about next year.
"But I'm looking forward to 2012. There's still so much to play for this season.
"If I can just get a bit of luck and stay fit hopefully I can really enjoy the final five months of the season."
The midfielder had featured earlier this season following his recovery from a long-standing groin injury as a substitute against Brighton, as well as playing and scoring in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United, however, he suffered an ankle injury in training that quickly became infected, leading to another lay-off.
"It was a major blow for me," admits Gerrard. "I had started against United and Norwich and I was just starting to feel really sharp.
"I was back in the groove and feeling good but then I got a freak injury. There was no link whatsoever with the infection I'd had previously in my groin - it was just bad luck.
"I got tackled in training and there was a small wound on my ankle. It wasn't a big gash that needed stitching or anything but it got infected and my ankle really swelled up.
"If I hadn't got it sorted quickly it could have been dangerous. But the treatment I got from the medical staff was absolutely brilliant. Both the medical and coaching staff at the club have managed me superbly.
"I needed to go into hospital to get the infection washed out. After that I was in plaster for a couple of weeks and on crutches for about a month."
He continued: "When the surgeon said I would miss another eight weeks it was really tough to take.
"It took me weeks to get over the news. It absolutely killed me.
"With my groin I could understand it because you expect wear and tear over the years. I could understand that one day that would need fixing. But the ankle injury was just a freak.
"You just have to get over that initial blow as quickly as you can. You have to fight and get on with the rehab.
"The last eight weeks have been really long, especially coming on the back of being out for six months with my groin. It's been tough but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
"I'm really happy with how I handled it. I've worked my socks off to get back and now I'm feeling in great condition. I'm just looking forward to playing games."
Gerrard has also hailed the performances of his team-mates in his absence, insisting that the club will soon see a change in fortunes after their recent struggles in front of goal.
"We've been playing some fantastic stuff," he added.
"We're defending really well and creating plenty of chances but we're not getting the rewards we deserve at the moment. We're right on the edge of where we want it.
"We need to keep going and there's no time to feel sorry for ourselves. Hopefully the breaks will start going our way.
"For me, it's just great to be back involved. And the positive thing is that I'm coming back at a time when there are so many massive games coming up.
"It's been frustrating missing so much football but there are tons of big games still to play. The season is just starting to warm up and I'm really excited about playing a part in that. All I can ask for is that I stay fit and healthy." (goal.com/en-gb/news)
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