Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel has stated that he is looking forward to the chance of a rest over the summer months before the Premier League restarts in August.

The 24-year-old will play his last game of the 2008/2009 season when Slovakia meet San Marino in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday, and the Reds central defender has said he is pleased at the chance of a rest.

The Slovakia international made 30 appearances last season for the Reds, despite three months on the sidelines following knee ligament damage.

The former Zenit St. Petersburg defender has said he has enjoyed his first full season in the Premier League, and is now looking forward to some hard earned rest.

Speaking to Liverpoolfc.tv, Skrtel said, "I have enjoyed this year - my first full year in England.

"A lot of things have been good for me, though I did injure my knee and didn't play for three months. That was not a good period for me but overall it's been a good year.

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard's prolific achievements were recognised this week by the Football Writers' Association as he was dubbed their Footballer of the Year for his commendable goal return of 23 from 42 appearances.

The talismanic captain has been in exemplary form this season, has built on his understanding with Fernando Torres, has been the recipient of endless man of the match bottles of champagne, all while he adapted swiftly into a fairly new position as the supporting striker sitting behind the spearhead.

Burgeoning defensive talent Martin Skrtel, though, believes there is more to come from the England international.

"We'll see if he gets even better," the Slovak defender told the club's official website. "This season has been good for him but when you think about it he's had a lot of injuries and has missed games. Next year hopefully he'll be without injuries and can get even more goals."

Regarding the decision of the football writers to recognise Gerrard's campaign ahead of those of Wayne Rooney or Ryan Giggs, Skrtel added, "I think they got it absolutely right because this season has been very good for him.

"I am happy for him," he continued. "He's scored a lot of goals. Stevie is a big player with big quality and, for me, he has absolutely been the best this year."

The Liverpool defender is a trained tattoo artist and his body is a walking advertisement for his array of intricate designs.

The 24-year-old is also a publican and enjoys relaxing to the dulcet tones of Danish heavy metal group Volbeat.

Agger is one of a kind and he showed once again at Anfield on Saturday that he offers a different dimension to Rafa Benitez’s side.

It’s been a bitterly frustrating 18 months for the centre-half who arrived from Brondby for £5million in January 2006.

A cracked metatarsal wrecked last season for him and he has spent a large chunk of the current campaign kicking his heels on the sidelines.

After warming the bench for the opening two months of the season, it took a knee injury to Martin Skrtel in October for him to regain his place alongside Jamie Carragher.

However, an ankle problem suffered in the FA Cup tie at Preston in January put Agger back on the treatment table and since regaining his fitness he has failed to get back into the side.

Saturday was just his second Premier League start since the 5-1 thrashing of Newcastle in December.

With Skrtel dropped to the bench after the Reds’ midweek defensive nightmare against Chelsea, Agger had a point to prove and he made it emphatically with a classy performance against Blackburn.

Makeshift striker Chris Samba hardly provided the most testing examination of his career, but after picking up an early booking for a cynical block on Keith Treacy he didn’t put a foot wrong.

Comparisons with the great Alan Hansen maybe premature but there’s no doubt he shares the Scotsman’s graceful qualities.

Agger may not have the physical presence of Carragher or Skrtel or the aerial ability of the ever-reliable Sami Hyypia, but there isn’t a centre-half around who is more comfortable in possession.

Rafa Benitez might have not been quite so philosophical had he known Manchester United were just a little more than an hour away from one of those eruptions which leave rivals bemused and dismayed at the futility of their lives. Perhaps as vitally, he hadn't seen the penalty decision which would help give United their latest impetus.

Still, it was a remarkable performance by the Liverpool manager after this edgy preservation of a challenge to the leaders.

Rafa was so relaxed he might have been sittin' on the dock of the bay rather than the rim of the United volcano.

He had a shrug and a smile for all the recent convulsions of his tumultuous season, not least the recent gang-up by Sir Alex Ferguson and his acolyte Sam Allardyce. Running like a thread through every declaration, was the sense of a manager who, win or lose in the last strides of the race with United, believes his team have come to a new competitive level.

Said Benitez: "I think if you analyse the season it is not bad. We have four games now to finish the season and we're still in the title race so I think it's very positive.

"Normally, when you play this level you know that at the end of the season you will play for trophies and can lose, but if you analyse it all I think the team has done very well, especially with [Steven] Gerrard and [Fernando] Torres out for a lot of games. The squad has shown that it is better and we are in a position we haven't been in before – we are contending."