Gerrard Passed To Face Chelsea, But Won't Figure In England Friendly

Steven Gerrard will play for Liverpool against Chelsea on Sunday despite a scan revealing today that he has a hairline fracture of the toe.

But Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez insists Gerrard will then need to rest and will not figure in England's friendly against Germany at Wembley next Wednesday.

Gerrard picked up the injury in Toulouse yesterday when Liverpool won their Champions League third qualifying round first leg tie 1-0.

Benitez is prepared to push his player to the limit to face the Blues but said: “He will then need one or two weeks' rest.”

“He will train but he will not be able to join up with England. I will talk to Steve McClaren and I am sure he will understand.”

“We have been told by our doctors that this is not a big risk but he will clearly then need to rest after the Chelsea match.'”

Reds Awaits Grerrard Diagnosis

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is expected to have treatment today at the club's Melwood training ground following a worrying ankle injury picked up in his side's Champions League qualifier.

Gerrard took a painful crack on the back of his ankle from French midfielder Pantxi Sirieix, the Toulouse player who spent all of yesterday's game man-marking the England star.

That was the only blemish for Reds boss Rafael Benitez after his side mastered the sauna-like conditions to secure a 1-0 first-leg victory.

Gerrard tried to carry on but was eventually replaced in the 61st minute by Mohamed Sissoko.

With Sunday's home game with Chelsea now the next clash for Liverpool to contend with in a tough opening week of three matches, Benitez would only say last night: "We will not know how Steven is until he has been seen by the medical team and the doctor.

"I was replacing him because we needed fresh legs, not because of the injury, but we do not know yet how he is."

Benitez hailed the "wonderful goal" scored by new boy Andriy Voronin that put Liverpool within touching distance of the Champions League group stages.

The Reds boss watched as his free-transfer signing from Bayer Leverkusen ensured his new club are close to the £12million prize for reaching the competition proper.

Benitez said: "Andriy scored a wonderful goal, it summed up his qualities as a very fine striker.

"He is clever, has great game awareness and gives us so many more options in attack. He can play behind a main striker, lead the line himself, or come into the attack from the flanks.

"And of course he can scored truly great goals like that. But we must not think this tie is over.

"We did a very professional job in a match played in difficult conditions. It was so hot for the players, and we were having to give them water continually.

"The referee stopped us throwing the bottles on to the pitch, the players had to come to the sidelines to drink, which was a little strange considering the conditions."

Liverpool are now expected to secure their passage through this third qualifying round tie in a fortnight at Anfield, even if Benitez was predictably cagey about the second leg.

He said: "We know they are a very good side who like to hit teams on the counter-attack, which is what they will try to do at Anfield."

Toulouse coach Elie Baup conceded his team found the searing heat and the quality of the opposition a problem.

He said: "In those conditions, it is hard to keep running and trying to create things when you are playing against a side with such experience and quality.

"Our players lack the experience of playing in this competition and they found Liverpool's ability and technical quality hard to cope with out there."

Voronin Shoots Down Toulouse

Ukrainian free transfer Andriy Voronin produced a priceless first goal for his new club as Liverpool beat Toulouse 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying round tie.

Rafael Benitez's side had struggled for any sort of pace and tempo in the early stages in searing afternoon heat in south-west France.

But Voronin's spectacular 30-yard effort two minutes before half-time stunned the noisy home fans and now makes the Reds hot favourites to progress to the lucrative group stages in September.

Toulouse produced some impressive approach play, but failed to really trouble Jose Reina in the first period.

They did make a better fist of things after the interval, sending on Fode Mansare for Bryan Bergougnoux to give Johan Elmander some more support up front.

Elmander had a couple of half-chances, but in the end it was a comfortable win for last season's beaten finalists.

The second leg takes place at Anfield on Tuesday August 28.

Afterwards a satisfied Benitez hailed his side's professionalism in the afternoon heat.

"I'm pleased because it was a very, very difficult situation," he said.

"It was a professional job. The team worked hard.

"We controlled the game. We were a little bit under pressure ion the second half."

Benitez described Voronin's winner as "fantastic", adding: "He's a good player and can scored these kind of goals because he has quality."

Toulouse coach Elie Baup conceded his team found the searing heat and the quality of the opposition a problem.

He said: "In those conditions it is hard to keep running and trying to create things when you are playing against a side with such experience and quality.

"Our players lack the experience of playing in this competition and they found Liverpool's ability and technical quality hard to cope with out there."