Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is looking forward to utilising all his attacking options for their crucial Barclays Premier League run-in.
The team rightly received plaudits for their performance, particularly in the first half, against Sunderland at the weekend when they played a brand of football which had been missing for most of the season. Deploying Steven Gerrard in a more orthodox central midfield position but with licence to roam forward allowed Benitez to field Maxi Rodriguez, Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel and Fernando Torres in front of the Reds captain.
"If they can stay fit I think it will be very important because you have more options," said Benitez, whose side travel to Lisbon for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Benfica.
"When you have two games a week it is important to have different players available so you can change the system and you can keep the tempo.
"It is really important to have Fernando, Gerrard and Maxi available.
"I can see Fernando is focused and he wants to do well. We are surprised sometimes by what he can do but my idea is that he can improve.
"He knows how to get better. Two goals and a great performance again against Sunderland is what the team needed.
"Glen Johnson is an attacking defender and sometimes when you have the team playing well at home and everyone is going forward he can be a real threat.
"He had one or two chances against Sunderland and he was very dangerous down the right side."
Source: PA
