Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher turned 33 on Friday and with his return to first team action after three months with a shoulder injury, what does the future hold in store for the centre-back?

I doubt I was the only Reds fans that questioned the length of Carra’s contract extension which means that the Reds defender will be at the club until June 2013 until he is 35. Certainly, Carra has the ability to play on until that age but I feel it is unlikely he will be able to sustain the long run of first team games he has been able to do up this point in his career so far.

Centre-backs tend to peak in their late 20s to early 30s and most would agree that Jamie’s best performances of his career are behind him. He has never been the quickest but in the last 18 months or so, it has become increasingly apparent that age is catching up with him, and that his lack of pace is becoming a real problem for the Liverpool backline.

Liverpool’s defence has been creaky at the best of times over the first half of this season, and we have already conceded 31 goals in 24 league games. This is an unheard amount for any Liverpool in the last decade or so and the Reds have always prided themselves on defensive solidity. Not much of this can be blamed on Carragher as his dislocated shoulder has coincided with Liverpool being even more fragile at the back. The questionable form of both Martin Skrtel and Sotirios Kygiakos with Daniel Agger only recently returning from injury, shows Carragher is still needed by Liverpool.

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