FOOTBALL : Steven Gerrard has been ruled out of Liverpool’s Champions League trip to Lyon, but striker Fernando Torres will be on the plane that heads for France on Tuesday
Steven Gerrard has been ruled out of Liverpool’s Champions League trip to Lyon, but striker Fernando Torres will be on the plane that heads for France on Tuesday
Although Gerrard has now played just 25 minutes of five matches since he sustained a groin injury while on England duty, boss Rafael Benitez has delayed any decision on whether his captain needs an operation.
Club sources suggest that Benitez is happy that Gerrard’s treatment is progressing well and that the player’s injury problem is improving. If Gerrard does have an operation on his groin, it will rule him out for a month and he would be unlikely to play again until mid-December.
Liverpool are trying to avoid that eventuality, and Benitez will assess the midfielder’s fitness levels again when the Anfield men return from Wednesday’s match.
Torres will travel with the party, having been taken off at Fulham on Saturday after a hour to protect his adductor muscle injury.
But