Kewell returns to Sydney for treatment

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Harry Kewell has returned home to Sydney for treatment after another setback to his injury-plagued career forced him out of Australia's gritty scoreless World Cup qualifying draw with China.

The 29-year-old Liverpool midfielder was a last-minute withdrawal from the Socceroos' team on Wednesday with a groin injury and he decided to return to Sydney where he had a series of operations last year.

The latest injury comes at a time when Kewell is battling to save his career as he approaches the end of his contract with the English Premier League club.

Kewell has not played for the Reds since the club's shock 2-1 FA Cup exit to Barnsley on February 16.

He has eight games until the end of the Premiership to convince manager Rafael Benitez that he deserves to stay.

The star has made just 93 league appearances for Liverpool since arriving from Leeds in July 2003 and he has so far only been able to muster 15 appearances this season.

Kewell will undergo a series of scans in Sydney, although the early prognosis is that he has suffered a strained groin.

"It is not a recurrence, it is a new injury on the right side of his groin and we believe it is just a strain," a spokesperson for Kewell said.

"The prognosis will determine the length of time he's here. If it's nothing major, as we expect, he will go straight back (to England).

"FFA decided to do the right thing by Harry and Liverpool and bring him back to Sydney where he will be looked at by people that he is comfortable with."

-AFP