Source: Telegraph
Steven Gerrard will shrug off court ordeal believes Benitez
EMBARGO UNTIL 11pm tonight[LNB]The Liverpool captain, who intends to plead not guilty to the charges, will have to appear at North Sefton Magistrates Court again on March 20 and could face up to five years in jail if found guilty.[LNB]But Benitez revealed he spoke to the midfielder when he returned to the club's Melwood training ground and insisted the court case would not affect Gerrard's performances or whether he is available for selection.[LNB]He said: "Steven was training really well. We played five-a-side after the session and he scored two or three really good goals. I don't think it is affecting him.[LNB]"I spoke with him and asked him how everything was. He said it was OK and we had a normal training session. He is focused on football. He may be in the team on Sunday, we will see."[LNB]Benitez added that he is likely to make changes to the side who drew the first derby of the week 1-1 on Monday, but believes whichever side he puts out will boast sufficient talent to win the game.[LNB]Despite a succession of links with moves for players such as Glen Johnson, Emile Heskey and the Spanish winger Angel Lafita, Liverpool have passed almost unnoticed through the January transfer window. Only out-of-favour winger Jermaine Pennant has left the club and no one has been brought in to add depth to the squad.[LNB]With doubts over both the club's current owners' financial strength, with a £350 million loan to be refinanced in June, and now their long-term future cast into doubt, Benitez was made aware before the window opened that he would have to sell if he wanted to buy, but he insisted: "I am really pleased with my squad and I have to have confidence in my players because we will not bring anybody in.[LNB]"We won't do anything with the team now, because what is important is the game with Everton. It does not matter about Heskey, as everyone is saying, because we have Torres, Robbie Keane, David N'Gog, Krisztian Nemeth, Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel. They are our strikers.[LNB]"We have a lot of options and they are all good players. We have enough quality in the squad now to play Everton and Wigan and put good teams out in both games."[LNB]It is an endlessly positive message that Benitez has been propagating even as he has seen his side drop four points in the title race with draws at home to Everton and at Stoke.[LNB]Benitez added: "I see the players every day and I know how good they are and how hard they are working.[LNB]"It is very, very good for the team to have players like Torres and Martin Skrtel coming back, as well as players like Babel and Javier Mascherano, who were not at the same level after the Olympics.[LNB]"We have got into our best position for maybe 20 years without some of our best players. We are confident because soon we will have more players. We feel we can beat anyone." [LNB]Defender Joseph Yobo could return to Everton's squad for Sunday's tie. The centre-back has missed the last four matches with a hamstring injury but may get a place on the bench for the second Merseyside derby in six days. [LNB]However, manager David Moyes is likely to stick with the same side which snatched a late 1-1 draw in the Barclays Premier League encounter at Anfield on Monday. [LNB]Key midfielder Marouane Fellaini serves the second match of a two-game ban. [LNB]
