Craig Bellamy: Agger is best thing since Hansen

Daniel Agger has been hailed as "outstanding" by former team-mate Craig Bellamy, who claims the Liverpool defender is "the closest thing I have seen to Alan Hansen".

Wales captain Bellamy crossed swords with the Danish centre-half in Copenhagen on Wednesday.

Bellamy came out trumps in the clash with 23-year-old Agger, netting the second-half winner in a friendly international against Denmark.

And in a week when it was being suggested that Agger's defensive rival Martin Skrtel was unhappy with life out of the side at Anfield, Bellamy underlined how tough the competition for places is now for the title chasers.

Bellamy, a lifelong Liverpool fan who achieved his ultimate career ambition when he had a year with the club after a £6million move from Blackburn in July 2006, rates Agger highly and understands the battle for a first-team shirt between the Dane and Skrtel.

Bellamy said: "Agger is outstanding. I have watched Liverpool a lot over the years and for me Agger is the closest thing I have seen to Alan Hansen.

"That's the best compliment I can give him. When he gets possession he can move confidently into midfield, he joins in the passing.

"He is comfortable on the ball and has really impressed me. I liked him a lot as a person, he is down-to-earth and level-headed.

"Nothing fazes him, nothing gets on top of him, he is an outstanding player."

Liverpool bought Skrtel last January because of the continued injury problems that had kept out Agger for months.

Bellamy said: "Agger was injured and that cost him his place to Martin Skrtel. Even when he was fit again he could not get back into the side, but at a place like Liverpool you have to earn the right to play.

"He had to bide his time and although it was bad luck for Skrtel when he got injured, Daniel has got his chance again.

"The same will happen when Skrtel is fit again. He will find it hard to get back into the team because Daniel is playing so well.

"The roles will be reversed. But that does not surprise me at a top club where the best players do hold down their places in the side."

There was a spell earlier in the season when Agger could not fight his way back into the side after injury with Skrtel then the man in possession of the shirt.

And that prompted claims from his homeland that he was not happy sitting on the substitutes' bench.

Now the roles are reversed with Skrtel recovering from a serious knee injury amid suggestions that he fancied a move back to Zenit St Petersburg.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez denies there is a problem, saying: "These are the sort of things you hear about during international breaks.

"But I was only talking to Martin earlier this week, and he is clearly happy at the club."

And the real battle for a centre-back place could begin again in earnest earlier than expected. Skrtel's progress following his operation has been impressive enough to suggest he could be back in action for the Christmas programme.

Skrtel said: "It will be difficult to get back into the team, but I am working hard and I will do my best to impress the coach and fight for my place.

"I have not been saying that I am unhappy here, or that I don't like Liverpool. Or that I want to go back to Zenit, I want to put the records straight."