Source: Liverpool_Echo
Liverpool FC manager Rafael Benitez sweats on fitness of injured players
RAFA BENITEZ admits that he will be playing a desperate waiting game today for the results of a series of scans that could decide Liverpool’s season.
The Reds boss could only slump back in the dugout last night as Lyon battled back from a goal down to pinch a late but deserved winner at Anfield.
Liverpool must now all but win every game of their final three group matches in the Champions League to stand any chance of progressing through to the knockout stages.
But perhaps even more pressing for the Reds is the availability of a handful of first team stars with just five days to go until Manchester United visit Anfield.
Steven Gerrard limped off after just 25 minutes last night suffering from a reoccurance of his groin injury, while Glenn Johnson missed the game with a similar problem, picking up the knock in Monday’s final training session.
Striker Fernando Torres, whose absence was missed more than most last night, is also facing up to a lunchtime scan today as Benitez and Liverpool’s season threatens to nose down to almost catastrophic depths.
“We will have to check the players tomorrow,” Benitez told the press conference afterwards.
“We have too many problems with different players and we won’t know more until we check tomorrow.
“We have too many problems, with Glen Johnson breaking down before the game, then Steven Gerrard and Martin Kelly.
“With Gerrard it is the same groin problem as before. He felt something so we had to change him. It was not a risk because he wanted to play and the doctor said he was OK.
“He trained the last two days so he was OK. We will have to check on all the players in the morning and it is too soon to say who will play on Sunday against Manchester United.”
