Lucas Leiva: I'm feeling 100 per cent

The Brazilian midfielder played the full 90 minutes in Sunday's All-Star Charity game at Anfield, and after being named on the bench against Manchester United a week earlier, he is ready to step up should the manager require his services against Arsenal this weekend.

"I feel great," Lucas told Liverpoolfc.com. "Leading up to the Manchester United game I had a full week of training as well, so it's been two weeks of full training. I was available for the Manchester United game, but probably wasn't able to play the whole game. Now I feel 100 per cent.

"Now it's just a question of getting some minutes and training sessions, so that's what I need and what I'm having. Leading into the Arsenal game that's going to be good because I will have had three full weeks of training and I'm looking forward to it."

While some of the squad were representing their countries during the international break, it has been a different story for Lucas.

The holding midfielder has spent the whole time training at Melwood, working on his fitness alongside some of the up-and-coming youngsters from the U21 squad.

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Lucas said: "Of course it's good to have a few days off but I was away in Brazil while I was having my treatment, so it was the right decision to stay here and keep working during the international break.

"If you get too many days off you don't get the sharpness and the rythmn of the training session and that's what I was missing.

"I spoke with the staff and they prepared everything for me as well to make me feel as though I'm in good condition, so it's looking good and hopefully it will only get better."

With captain Steven Gerrard set to serve a three-game suspension following his dismissal against Manchester United, Lucas is hoping for an opportunity to help his side in their quest for a top-four finish and date at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final.

Liverpool's No.21 insists his injury came at a bad time as he was enjoying his football - but he is now eager to make up for lost time.

He added: "I was in a very good moment, probably the best moment in the last couple of years, and I had a good run of games.

"The beginning of the season wasn't good for me because I couldn't play much but as soon as I got back in the team I think I helped a lot.

"I don't know if Stevie's suspension will change things because the team were playing well, but I need to be ready and there are a lot of games to play and the FA Cup as well, so everyone will be needed.

"I need to be ready and if I get a chance again I need to be at the same level I was before I was injured."

With big games coming thick and fast in league and cup, Lucas has called on his teammates to soften the blow of losing Gerrard and Martin Skrtel for the next three games by stepping up to plate.

"Martin is having a fantastic season again. He has been a very consistent player for us and losing him and Stevie is hard to take but if you want to be successful you can't rely on one or two players," he said.

"Both are very important players for us as one can change a game and the other gives us stability at the back, but we have other players as well who can step in. It's always been the case for the group that if someone gets injured then someone will step in and do the job.

"That's how it should be and we shouldn't be afraid we don't have them. Of course it's going to be a big miss not having Stevie and Skrts [Skrtel] but we have to show we can cope for the three games and then we have them back ready to go again."