Steven Gerrard & Fernando Torres Miss Liverpool Training

Liverpool have confirmed that Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres were withdrawn from training today after picking up injuries whilst on international duty this week.

Torres suffered a minor adductor problem whilst with Spain that limited him to the substitutes' bench for his country's game with Bosnia.

Gerrard missed England's victory over Belarus at Wembley with a groin strain. Both players are to be further assessed by the Reds' medical team.

Greek defender Sotiris Kyrgiakos will also face further assessment of his knee injury, though Goal.com sources earlier revealed that the damage to his anterior cruciate ligament was much less severe than initially feared.

"Sotiris Kyrgiakos will be examined by our medical staff when he returns to Liverpool later this evening," a statement on the club's official website read.

"Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres will not train with the rest of the squad today, but will continue to receive treatment and will be assessed again tomorrow."

Saudi Prince Admits Interest

Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Bin Abdullah has confirmed that he would be interested in investing his money in a football club.

The Saudi billionaire is reportedly set to invest his considerable funds in Liverpool after being caught pictured sitting with co-owner George Gillett at the 6-1 win over Hull at Anfield last month.

Gillett is currently in Saudi Arabia as a guest of the Prince with both parties looking to strike up a partnership with the Reds particularly keen on setting up a number of youth academies in the Middle East.

Prince Faisal, chairman of sports investment company F6, refused to specify which club he would be looking to invest in before insisting that the visit of Gillett was purely down to friendship.

"As an investment group definitely we have an eye for many opportunities, let's put it this way," he told Sky Sports News.

"In Europe and Asia and North America and South America how can we be an added value and where can we invest our money and how we can manage and that is all I can say about investing in football clubs.

"This is a purely personal friend to a friend who happens to be a co-owner at Liverpool.

"Definitely we look forward to any kind of venture between any clubs in Saudi Arabia and Liverpool and transfer of knowledge, experience and implementation of Liverpool academy and philosophy to Saudi Arabia and to the sports industry of Saudi Arabia.

"This is the main thing and this is what we are discussing."

Meanwhile Gillett was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the youth facilities in the country.

"The infrastructure generally I have seen is absolutely amazing the King's commitments to this country and the youth is amazing," he stated.

"The physical facilities that are here, these are as nice as I have seen anywhere around the world. They have got outstanding management.

"I was very pleasantly surprised, there are some wonderful opportunities for us to work together.

"We have a great appreciation for the respect and the government of Saudi Arabia has for the youth of this country and they're committed to both facilities and programmes to bring more and more youth to a higher level in all sports but particularly in football.

"We are pleased to be involved. To help we would be privileged."

Liverpool Expect Steven Gerrard To Be Fit For Sunderland Trip

Liverpool remain confident Steven Gerrard will be fit for their trip to Sunderland this weekend, despite fears he may have sustained a slight tear in his adductor muscle.

Gerrard, who was substituted at half time in England's defeat in Ukraine on Saturday, returned to Merseyside for a precautionary scan after managing only 10 minutes of training with Fabio Capello's squad on Tuesday.

Despite initial suggestions the injury was worse than first feared, it is believed he is likely to be ready to travel with the rest of Liverpool's squad to the Stadium of Light.

Liverpool are thought to be unhappy that Gerrard was not released from international duty after failing to complete the defeat in Dnipropetrovsk - Wayne Rooney, who finished the game, returned to Manchester United with a calf injury on the squad's return to England - and Rafael Benítez is likely to be unimpressed that he was risked in a training session just two days later.

England insist the decision to remain with his international team-mates was Gerrard's alone.

Benítez is already sweating over the fitness of Fernando Torres, another player who has picked up an adductor problem on international duty, and Dirk Kuyt, who limped out of Holland's friendly with Australia after an ankle injury flared up.

Aurelio Eyes New Deal

Liverpool full-back Fabio Aurelio is keen to start talks on a new contract at Anfield.

The 30-year-old Brazilian, who signed for the Reds on a free transfer from Valencia in 2006, has a current deal that is due to expire next summer, but he wants to extend his stay on Merseyside.

Aurelio has made 92 appearances for Liverpool since his move three years ago, and is hoping he can finally get a run of first-team starts together after a series of injuries have hampered his progress in recent seasons.

"We had started talking before the end of last season but then I picked up the injury in the summer and since then there has not been any more contact," he told the Liverpool Echo.

"I just want to play at the minute before I think about anything else and we will see how everything goes from there.

"Every season I have felt more and more comfortable here and I have many good team-mates - this feels as if it is my home.

"I feel very comfortable and my family is very settled here but I know that it all depends on what the manager and the club thinks about me.

"I enjoy the city and the life that I have here and that is why it has felt like the time that I have been here has gone so fast.

"I'm really enjoying it; when you are settled and you are comfortable, that is all you want and that is why I would like to stay here if I can."

Liverpool will be looking to kick-start their Premier League campaign when they travel to the Stadium of Light on Saturday to face in-form Sunderland.

Fresh Liverpool FC Injury Blow As Sotirios Kyrgiakos Damages Knee Playing For Greece

Sotirios Kyrgiakos is bracing himself for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after he suffered a serious injury on international duty.

Kyrgiakos - who joined the Reds from AEK Athens in August - was forced off before half-time during his country’s 2-1 win over Luxembourg last night.

It has since been claimed in Greece that Kyrgiakos has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and the 30-year-old will spend at least four months on the sidelines.

That, though, is likely to be a conservative estimate if the damage is as bad as feared, as cruciate problems invariably mean that a player will be out for a minimum of six months.

Liverpool were today waiting for a further update but the early signs are that they will be without Kyrgiakos for the foreseeable future.

It will come as blow to Rafa Benitez, who drafted in the uncompromising Kyrgiakos to fill the void left by Sami Hyppia’s move to Bayer Leverkusen.

He has only made one start for Liverpool in the Premier League so far - that came in the 3-2 win over Bolton on August 29 - and also played in the 1-0 Carling Cup win at Leeds. His absence now means that Benitez is short of experienced cover at the back for first choice pair Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel.

Daniel Agger has yet to play for the Reds this season after coming back from injury but he has at least come through two games for Denmark in the past week.

Rookie Spanish defender Daniel Ayala, who made a promising full debut in a 4-0 win over Stoke City at the beginning of the campaign, will now be on standby should the Reds suffer any injury or suspension.

Dossena: Why Aquilani Will Be Prem Star

Andrea Dossena is confident Alberto Aquilani's 'quality and intelligence' will ensure he has no difficulty acclimatising to the rigours of the Barclays Premier League.

The Italian midfielder began light training at Melwood recently as he continues his rehabilitation from an ankle injury.

With his Liverpool debut now firmly on the horizon, Dossena is adamant his compatriot has all the necessary features to his game to succeed in England.

"He has the quality to adapt because he is very clever," Dossena told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"He understands the football here and knows how to make the right decision on the ball quickly.

"When you're in a match in England, you don't have a lot of time on the ball. You have to think before the ball comes to you.

"In Italy you have a few seconds to think and look up, but here you only have a second and then have to play the ball because you'll have two or three opponents closing you down.

"But Alberto is very excited about playing for Liverpool and he wants to experience a new kind of football.

"He is a great player. I can't wait to see him in the Premier League."

Like manager Rafa Benitez, Dossena points to Aquilani's versatility as one of the former Roma star's key attributes, and believes the 25-year-old's acquisition will provide Liverpool with many different options.

"He will be an important player for us," he said. "With Alberto, we can do something different with our formation.

"He can play in the middle or between the lines alongside Stevie, and they can create something different for Liverpool."

He added: "I am happy we have signed him because he is a good lad, a great player and I am sure he will have a lot of success at the club."

Meanwhile, Dossena spoke of his determination to work hard in training and force his way back into the Liverpool first-team reckoning.

Injuries coupled with the excellent form of Emiliano Insua have meant the full-back has been restricted to just one senior run out so far this term, which came in the recent Carling Cup tie with Leeds United.

"I want to play, but what is important for me is to work hard every day and be ready for when the boss calls on me," he said.

"It's difficult, but I am a professional. I am a football player and sometimes you have to sit on the bench. That is part of my job.

"I want to work hard and keep a good mentality, which is important for all players, even those that play every game. You have to work hard and be ready.

"When you play for a big team, there is always competition for places and working hard is the only way I can improve and try to change the decision of the boss."

The 28-year-old was the subject of much transfer speculation over the course of the summer, but he insists his focus is on attempting to play a part in Liverpool's quest for silverware rather than seeking pastures new .

"I have never said that I want to leave," he stated. "I want to play, like every single other player, but I like it here and I like playing for Liverpool Football Club.

"The life here is perfect for me, the football is fantastic and I want to win something with Liverpool."

Liverpool Eye Brazil Starlet Nilton

Liverpool are poised for a January move for Vasco da Gama starlet Nilton.

Vasco, who once beat Manchester United en route to the final of the Club World Cup in 2000, have fallen on hard times since.

They currently play their trade in the Brazilian Second Division and are struggling to keep hold of midfield ace Nilton.

The 22-year-old scored a stunning overhead volley in Vasco’s 4-1 victory over Vila Nova and Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has taken note.

The Brazil Under-20 capped Nilton, whose contract expires in January, could now move this winter, with Benitez leading the chase to sign him.

Liverpool Share Deal Talks Continue, Says Saudi Prince

Saudi Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdulla has said his F6 company hopes to finalise talks over a major Liverpool share deal.

Speaking to the press as Liverpool co-owner George Gillett visited Riyadh, Prince Faisal said: "Our negotiations to buy shares in Liverpool are ongoing, meetings are taking place and we might be in the final stages in the coming days."

Gillett, who owns Liverpool along with fellow American Tom Hicks, was in Riyadh to discuss a project regarding the creation of Liverpool football academies around the region, Prince Faisal said.

In recent weeks, both parties have admitted that potential investment from Faisal has been firmly on their agenda.

Gillett and Hicks have been seeking new investment in the Anfield club after refinancing some of its debt during the summer.

The two met with Prince Sultan bin Fahd, president of the Saudi Youth Welfare organisation and chairman of the Saudi League.

"The purpose of the visit of the owner of Liverpool Football Club to Saudi Arabia is to understand the sports industry and to learn about the facilities and the potential of the main clubs in order to set up the Liverpool Academy in Saudi Arabia," Prince Faisal said.

The agreement between Liverpool and F6, a sports marketing and investment firm controlled by Faisal, would also provide opportunities for young Saudi players to train at the Anfield club, he said.

Sammy Lee: No International 'Hangover' For Liverpool

Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee has stressed the importance of the club's international players returning to training this week fully focused on their domestic duties.

A host of Reds stars have been representing their countries across the world during the international break and Lee maintains that their mindset must change quickly once they are back at the clubs' training centre at Melwood.

"The group that have been here at Melwood during the international break have been working very hard with a view to the Sunderland game, and when the other players return later this week, we have to make sure they kick in and are focused on a very important game," Lee told the club's official website.

"There is no window for us to have any kind of international hangover - we don't have that luxury."

Liverpool travel to Sunderland on Saturday, and Lee insists that the players must prepare well. Every game is massive for the Reds in a season when they are striving to end the long wait for a league title.

"It is difficult to prepare, but that is the nature of the game," the coach added.

"I think this is the third international break of the season already and it's something we've got to live with. We're not unique in this and other clubs have got the same problem.

"At this football club, every week is massive. The fact we're playing these matches just adds to that, but being 'Liverpool Football Club' means we're going to be in these type of games.

"It's been a mixed start to the season - there have been some good points and some bad.

"But it's still only October and we're going to be working very hard to ensure we're there or thereabouts come the end of the season in all competitions."

I Will Only Play For Spain If I Am 100 Per Cent - Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres has insisted that he will only play in Spain's final World Cup qualifier against Bosnia if he is 100 per cent fit and poured scorn on reports of a rift between Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez and the national team.

"I still have some discomfort and it will not be decided until Wednesday if I will play... Only if I'm OK I'll play," he told AS.

"The final decision depends on the coach. Along with the doctors, physios and myself, we decide what is best. Spain is qualified and this is not a time to take risks."

The striker pointed out that the absences of the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Carles Puyol and Xavi were in the best interests of the players, but he and Andres Iniesta had a chance to feature in the game and as a result stayed with the squad.

Daniel Guiza, Carlos Marchena and Xavi are all out through injury while Puyol is serving a suspension. Fabregas has been allowed to leave the squad for personal reasons.

"Xavi, [Carles] Puyol and Cesc have left because that was better for them. The coach decides. Andres and I are here because we have options to play."

"Rafa [Benitez] has been interested in my state, of course, because we have had a difficult month but he never pushed for me to leave."

"He spoke with doctors and they are in contact. I hope I am with amongst friends here. If I play, fine, if not, I have been very well cared for, working for Wednesday or for the weekend with my team [Liverpool]."

Aquilani Debut In Offing

Alberto Aquilani may make his Liverpool debut before the end of this month.

The Italian midfielder, a £20million summer signing to fill the gap in the Anfield squad left by Xabi Alonso, is finally allowed to kick a ball in training as his recovery from a knee operation continues.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez signed the Italy international, knowing he would not be able to play for a minimum of three months.

But Aquilani started ball work with the first-team squad last week and has stepped up his training since then.

Benitez will carefully monitor the 25-year-old's progress and he will not be considered for the clash with Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday week.

Aquilani has not played a competitive game since Arsenal beat his old club Roma in the Champions League in March.

Liverpool reserves have a match against Sunderland at home next Wednesday, and he may get a short run-out then. But there is a possibility that he could be used at some point during the Carling Cup tie at Arsenal on October 28.

Aquilani said: "When I am back, I hope I will show I am a player who can pass the ball well, get forward and score goals.

"I have not played football for a long time, so I know it will not be easy to produce my best straightaway. But I will be trying to do that.

"When you are not involved with the team, it is not a good feeling. But it is my ambition to score at the Kop end. I have thought about that a lot during my rehab period."

Captain Steven Gerrard has had treatment on Wednesday on the groin injury that forced his return from England duty and he is due to have a scan on the problem.

But Liverpool are confident he will be able to face Sunderland on Saturday.

Jamie Carragher Is Right To Stress The Importance Of Liverpool’s Next Three Games

It must be a long time since a trip to Sunderland was being described as part of a ‘massive’ week for Liverpool FC, but that’s how Jamie Carragher has portrayed the upcoming threesome against the Black Cats, Lyon and the boys from down the other end of the East Lancs Road.

Notwithstanding the tendency of footballers to attach great importance to a friendly against a Blue Square Conference side, such is their fear of being seen to drift off-message by their manager, you can see where Jamie’s coming from. A poor result at Sunderland, who looked a decent side at Old Trafford, and the suspension of disbelief that many are choosing to indulge with regard to our title hopes might be abruptly shattered, leaving us staring at the cold reality of another prematurely-ended Premier League quest.

That in turn would heap the pressure on for the visit of Lyon, with the possibility of another trophy going south should we fail to capitalise on home advantage.

And as for United, with the chance, albeit remote, that Michael Owen could pop up and score a deciding goal, well that just doesn’t bear thinking about.

Now you’d be forgiven for wondering what’s brought on this sudden anxiety over the possibility of this doomsday scenario taking place, and I can almost feel the metaphorical slapping of my cheeks as many of you urge me to snap out of it and take a cold bath. There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that things aren’t as bad as they seem, there’s a long way to go, yada yada yada.

Indeed, the last performance against Chelsea was by no means poor, and, as Rafa is constantly reminding us, games like this turn on small details such as Mascherano losing possession which led to their break downfield leading to Anelka’s opening goal.

But the return to our traditional reward from Stamford Bridge, after last season’s delight at smashing their unbeaten home record, was disappointing as it was a missed opportunity to reassert our right to sit at the top table.

We’ve lost all the difficult games so far this season, a stark contrast to last year, and no amount of stockpiling goals against the likes of Stoke, Burnley and Hull will offset that if we carry on looking that vulnerable in the big games.

So we can afford to lose a few more if we convert some of the last campaign’s draws into victories, but last season’s aberration whereby Man U won the title by beating up the small kids is unlikely to be repeated.

So if I’m to get my mojo back, I want to see the Reds really perform when the pressure’s on. That ability to rise to the occasion was evident in spades last season, and it can’t, or shouldn’t, disappear with the loss of one player.

Nor should its restoration be dependent on another’s return, or should I say arrival, from injury. We’ve yet to find that confidence which, stopping just short of arrogance, is essential to the ability to both control games and find the right moment to pick off opponents who have been manipulated where we want them.

We might be short of alternative options at present, but we won difficult games last season without Torres and Gerrard, never mind Alonso. When the players remember this, and regain last season’s conviction and commitment, then perhaps my disposition will improve along with our results.

Hopefully there’ll be many more ‘massive’ games to come; and they won’t be about scrabbling in to next season’s Champions League.

Liverpool FC Keep Fingers Crossed Ahead Of International Fixtures

Liverpool received a mixed medical bulletin yesterday as Rafael Benitez keeps his fingers crossed ahead of the latest round of international fixtures.

Steven Gerrard limped out of the morning’s England training session with a groin problem and will miss Wednesday night’s final World Cup qualifier against Belarus at Wembley.

But Fernando Torres has suffered no muscle damage after undergoing a scan on a similar problem sustained while playing for Spain over the weekend.

Gerrard was initially injured during England’s 1-0 defeat in Ukraine on Saturday, lasting only until half-time before being substituted by Fabio Capello.

The Liverpool skipper has now returned to Melwood for further treatment, and must already be considered a doubt for Saturday’s Premier League visit to Sunderland.

Capello said yesterday: “He didn’t finish training because the pain was the same as yesterday. He tried to practice in training but after 10 minutes had to stop.”

The injury to Gerrard will serve only to increase Benitez’s discontent with international breaks, particularly as this week’s double-header is made up of essentially meaningless games with England already through to next year’s finals in South Africa.

Benitez’s mood will not have been lifted by the allowed withdrawal of Wayne Rooney on Sunday morning, despite the Manchester United striker picking up no obvious injury in Ukraine.

However, there was better news for Benitez from the Spanish camp with Torres having resumed training.

The striker was substituted shortly after half-time of Spain’s 2-1 win against Armenia, and underwent a scan earlier this week which revealed no evidence of muscle damage.

But with Spain having also previously secured qualified for the World Cup, it is unlikely Torres will be risked when Vicente Del Bosque’s side wrap up their qualification campaign in Bosnia on Wednesday night.

Steven Gerrard Injury Fuels Rafael Benítez Frustration With Fabio Capello

Rafael Benítez is likely to seek an explanation from Steven Gerrard as to why he remained on international duty despite aggravating a groin problem against Ukraine on Saturday.

Gerrard finally withdrew from the England squad on Tuesday, after completing just 10 minutes of a gentle training session, the first time he has attempted to train since the weekend. He was escorted away by England physio Gary Lewin after complaining of suffering from pain, and was given permission to return to Liverpool.

However Gerrard will be at Wembley Stadium this evening, as one of the 55 players called up by Fabio Capello during the Italian's time in charge, and will sit with the likes of Michael Owen in an executive box set aside for the players.

That would suggest that Gerrard's groin injury is not too severe. He is certainly expected to be fit for Liverpool's Premier League game away to Sunderland on Saturday.

But if the midfielder is unable to play in that match, which is crucial to Benítez ahead of two even more important games, the Champions League double-header against Lyons, then the Spaniard will be annoyed and frustrated.

Benítez has clashed with Capello previously over Gerrard when the England manager insisted that the player report for on Tuesday that it had been Gerrard's decision to remain with England and receive treatment – unlike Wayne Rooney, who returned to Manchester United with a calf problem on Sunday after the squad returned from Ukraine.

"He stayed with us," Capello said of Gerrard. "We spoke after the game against Ukraine and he thought he'd be fit, perhaps for this game. He practised with us but, after 10 minutes, he felt it. It's not a big problem. He'll be fit in two or three days."

Asked whether he thought it was a mistake for Gerrard to have stayed with England, Capello said: "No, no. He decided to stay here. We asked him what he thought, and he thought he'd be fit. If he'd not been fit, he'd have gone home."

Benítez may be annoyed because it had appeared that Gerrard may not have started on Wednesday, with England planning a variation in formation and using wingers, so he was not necessarily required for Capello's squad for the 'dead rubber'.

Gerrard's possible absence would put a strain on Liverpool's resources as Javier Mascherano and Lucas are not due back from international duty until Friday.

Anfield Starlet Eager To Turn The Tables On United

Liverpool youngster Jay Spearing is too young to remember the last time the Kop tasted league title success and he admits Manchester United’s dominance of the Premier League has been a painful experience to bear for the Merseyside local.

The Wirral born midfielder also claims this season is the most important of his career, suggesting he has to show Rafa Benitez what he is capable of.

Spearing told Liverpool’s official website: “For a local lad, to win the league would feel even better, but it's what this team wants,”

“Any trophy is nice but the league is the one we've wanted for so long.

“I'm too young to remember the last time we won it. It was frustrating seeing United near the top all the time but in the past couple of years we've got closer. Hopefully this season or next our time will come.”

The youngster claimed he is having to adapt to top level football, admitting the tactical side of his game is the one most tested in the first team.

He added: “It's more tactical understanding than anything else. Rafa wants me to become a defensive midfielder and to understand the role and the positional side of things,”

“It's the heart of the team here because you've got to get forward if you can while protecting the back four. It's a key area that we look at a lot.

“You look at the positives and think about how you can change the game if you get on. There's no point sitting there thinking, 'I'm not going to get on'.

“It's exciting. If you don't get on, you just get ready for the next game and hopefully the chance will come.

“The coaches have told me I'll be involved a lot more this season. This season I've been on the bench a few times and it's a big progression. Last year I made the bench maybe two or three times. I've doubled that already and we're only in October.

“It's the most important season of my career so far. I'm involved with the first team every day now and the boss, Sammy Lee and the rest of the players are there looking at me every day.

“This is the season where I've got to show I'm here to stay and show what I can do.”

Anfield Spanification Reaches New High

Liverpool’s cultural ties with Spain appear to have reached a new high with news coming from Anfield that the club’s official television channel will provide a live broadcast of La Roja’s World Cup qualification match with Bosnia-Herzegovina for their subscribers.

With Spanish manager Rafael Benitez at the helm on Merseyside and striker Fernando Torres winning both hearts and minds with his dedication to the Reds’ Premier League and European ambitions it appears that the club have taken advantage of the region’s love affair with the Iberian peninsula.

Labeled "an exciting first for LFC TV" the club added: "This will no doubt delight many of our supporters in the UK who have taken a very close interest in the Spanish national team since Rafael Benitez arrived at Anfield. It demonstrates our desire to make LFC TV the best club channel in world football."

Liverpool FC Fan Takeover Talks To Take Place ‘In Months’

A supporters’ ‘buy-out’ plan to take over Liverpool FC today said they were hopeful of entering talks with Reds bosses within months.

Currently 16,000 people have pledged money to the ShareLFC project which was launched 18 months ago.

The scheme aims to wrestle back control of £500m-valued Liverpool from its controversial American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Today, ShareLFC said calculations had revealed cash promises could total as much as £60m.

And they are hopeful that another 4,000 people pledging money will give them enough financial muscle to start exploratory talks with Liverpool.

Initially, the plan for 100,000 fans to donate £5,000 was agreed to by around 7,000 Reds fans. But earlier this year, it was deemed too expensive and the sum was lowered to £500.

Rogan Taylor, director of the Football Industry Group at the University of Liverpool, and who is heading the scheme, said ShareLFC could enter talks within the next two months.

But with the financial picture at Anfield constantly changing, and suggestions of new investment from Saudis, nothing is certain.

Professor Taylor told the ECHO: “This scheme is not asleep, it is wide awake. The club is well aware of where our project is at.

“The important thing is gaining credibility and confidence, and we do feel the horizons are opening up.

“I am convinced that we are getting to the point where we can put forward a real proposition.

“At that point, our numbers could probably double.”

Overall, ShareLFC is looking to raise £120m equity from fans, £100m investment from a bank and another £100m from a commercial partner.

Whether the suggested £500m would have to be raised, or a lower value for Liverpool may be accepted by Hicks and Gillett, remains to be seen.

The ambitious ShareLFC plan, which has gained interest from 211 different countries, is supported by fans union Spirit Of Shankly.

The member-share scheme is based on a continental-style model, in which fans own a huge stake in the club, similar to the way Barcelona in Spain operate.

Rafael Benitez To Offer Aston Villa's Emile Heskey Liverpool Return

The Daily Star claims that Rafael Benitez is set to offer Emile Heskey a return to Liverpool in the January transfer window, providing the England striker with a World Cup lifeline in the process.

Heskey has admitted that he will consider leaving Aston Villa if he continues to warm the bench, worried that his lack of first-team football at club level will affect his chances of leading the line for the Three Lions in South Africa.

And while Fabio Capello clearly prefers Heskey as Wayne Rooney's partner in crime, the former Wigan Athletic striker has only started one league match all season for Martin O'Neill.

It is claimed that Benitez is considering a cut-price £1.5 million bid to bring Heskey back to Anfield. The Spanish tactician is short of options up-front, relying largely on Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard for goals.

However, Heskey is likely to require some guarantee over the amount of starts he will get, before agreeing to rejoin the Reds.

Villa, meanwhile, are unlikely to sell cheaply, as the striker - for whom they shelled out £3.5m just last winter - is contracted to the West Midlands club until July 2012.

Torres Undergoes Scan

Fernando Torres trained with the Spain squad on Monday evening after a scan revealed no evidence of muscle damage.

The 25-year-old's own official website confirmed El Nino completed several laps of the pitch before having treatment with La Furia Roja's physiotherapists as Vicente Del Bosque's side continue to prepare for Wednesday evening's World Cup qualifier with Bosnia.

Torres was substituted during the early stages of the second-half in Saturday's clash with Armenia after reporting groin pain.

However, having undergone physio at the squad hotel on Sunday, an MRI scan gave Liverpool's No.9 the all-clear to join his teammates in last night's light training session.

Liverpool Are Much More Than Kust Gerrard And Torres

I'm a literal sort of person, and it annoys me when things are so stupidly wrong, and yet people still fall for it blindly, and repeat it as though it is a fundamental truth. Like the idea that Liverpool are a two man team, which is a theory so widespread, it's become gospel.

For a start, how can any side be a two man team? You need at least seven to constitute a game under FA rules. And you wouldn't get very far with only two players would you? It'd be a bit one-sided, even if the opponents were as bad as my local pub team.

Getting away from the literal for a second though, it is misleading, and indeed, downright insulting, not to say palpable nonsense to suggest that the only two players Liverpool have are Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

Yep, the pair of them are world class, and any team would rather have them in their line up than not. And it's not exactly rocket science to work out that if you took two of the best players in the world out of the line-up, then it would be diminished somewhat. That though, is a truism that applies to every single other team in the world.

But even a cursory look at the rest of Rafael Benitez's first choice side tells you that they are hardly a two man outfit. For a start, Liverpool have the captain of Argentina, one of the most powerful footballing nations in the world, at the heart of their midfield.

Javier Mascherano has played for his country since he was 19 years old, and already has 55 caps, so he's hardly a duffer. He has been the one constant in the maelstrom of Diego Maradona's regime, and has shown world-class leadership for his nation at a crucial time, taking them into a World Cup spot in qualifying, against the odds.

Then there is Pepe Reina. As a goalkeeper, there is no doubt he is amongst the top three or four in the world, and arguably on his day - even set against the competing claims of his countryman Iker Casillas - is the best. Put it this way, he would walk into the England team right now.

Jamie Carragher has been the most consistent defender in the Premier League over the past five years, and that includes John Terry. Even Jose Mourinho once said he sometimes wished he could have a team of Carraghers.

Ok, he's had his difficulties this season, but that is as much because of the different tactical emphasis Liverpool have employed so far, as any failings on his part. Ask any manager in England, and he would be on their team-sheet. Still.

Dirk Kuyt has 56 caps for Holland, again one of the finest footballing nations on the planet, and anyone watching them play will see just how important he is to their line up.

When Kuyt went off at half time during the European Championship quarter final against Russia, his country's chances of reaching the semis went with him. His energy and positional intelligence is almost unmatched in the Premier League, which makes him a unique player.

Glen Johnson is the best right back in England, and one of the most exciting players in that position the Premier League has seen. Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel are regarded as two of the most promising young centre halves in Europe. Even young left back Emiliano Insua has just won his first Argentina cap.

Don't forget too, that last season, Liverpool won at Chelsea without Torres, drew at Arsenal without him, and beat Manchester United at Anfield with him and Gerrard on the bench. In the Champions' League, they managed a 4-4 draw at Chelsea without their skipper, too.

It is just lazy to say that Liverpool are a two man team, because the reality is, they have a perfectly respectable first XI, with many of their players coveted by other top sides. They have a team capable of challenging the best, evidence of which came last season, when they beat Chelsea and United home and away in the league.

But the problem at Anfield isn't the quality of the side, rather it is the depth of the squad. They are not a two-man team, but they are not far short of being a one-team club, which these days is a fatal flaw for any side harboring genuine title aspirations.

Liverpool don't really have any quality cover at goalkeeper, right back, right wing or left wing, and little depth to their forward line or in even central defence, given Agger's tendency towards injury. Presently, they don't have any back up in central midfield either, with summer signing Alberto Aquilani still to recover from the injury he arrived with.

That is their weakness, and it is a fundamental one. If they don't win the league this season - and from the first kick, I have suggested they will need a fair bit of luck with injuries to do so - it will be because they don't have the depth of cover in their squad to compete over the grueling length of a Premier League campaign.

It is not for the want of trying. If you include the many youngsters he has brought in to bolster the youth structure, in his five and a half years at Anfield, Rafa Benitez has signed close on 100 players for Liverpool, at a net outlay (that is, money spent minus money raised) of figures quoted variously between £90m and £125m, with perhaps the most accurate assessment being offered in The Times recently, of £111.39million.

You might have to rub your eyes at this point, but these figures really are correct. The Spanish coach has tried incredibly hard to wheel and deal to generate the funds to increase quality, and if you look at the team he inherited in 2005, there is no doubt he has done that. There is no comparison between the squad he took over and the one he has produced now. Just take a look at the pictures of the celebrations after the Champions' League final to confirm that.

The money he has spent sounds a lot, but actually, it amounts to an outlay of less than £20million a season, which buys you one decent player a year...unless that player happens to be a Kaka or Cristiano Ronaldo, of course.

When you consider there are just two players left at Anfield now from the day the manager walked in the door back in 2005, that isn't a great deal of money to bring in close on 30 players capable of hacking it at the top level. Especially when the squad he was left by Gerard Houllier generated very little in terms of revenue.

It has been a tricky situation, not made any easier by the debt problems at Anfield which required the manager to effectively sell before he could buy in the summer, destroying in the process the his hopes of again adding more depth to the squad he has so carefully been constructing over the past five years.

It is these circumstances which prompt Benitez, in more reflective moments, to quietly admit that he feels he still doesn't have the depth to his squad he would like, even if he's not exactly about to broadcast that fact on the nine o'clock news.

Any sustained period of Injuries will devastate Liverpool's campaign this season, and that doesn't mean just to Gerrard and Torres, either. Both those players were on the pitch in Florence, when the absence of Mascherano meant Benitez was forced to give full back Fabio Aurelio only his second start of the season....in central midfield.

That sums up the headache Benitez has to face in juggling his resources to try and mount a convincing title campaign. When you consider, both United and Chelsea can comfortably field two teams that would challenge in the top four of the Premier League, then he's going to have to be pretty good at keeping the balls in the air.

But let's get this straight, it's not because Liverpool are a two-man team. That is just lazy, join the dots thinking. And it is annoying. Just like those bloody meerkats.