Liverpool are facing a critical week in their season with fitness doubts lingering over Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, as both leading talents remain plagued by injury problems sustained on international duty.
The Liverpool captain and the side's leading goalscorer sat out training at Melwood today to add to Rafael Benítez's concerns ahead of Saturday'stomorrow's testing trip to Sunderland, a Champions League tie with the Group E leaders Lyon next Tuesday and Manchester United's Premier League visit to Anfield on Sunday week. It is understood Gerrard and Torres were advised to rest their injuries, rather than risk aggravating them, but their inactivity continues to overshadow Liverpool's preparations nevertheless.
Gerrard withdrew from England's victory over Belarus with a groin problem and scans have confirmed slight damage to an area that hindered him last season. Torres was an unused substitute in Spain's 5-2 win against Bosnia Herzegovina, with the coach Vicente del Bosque admitting he would not use the striker if an adductor injury suffered in training persisted.
Benítez's preparations will also be disrupted by the late return from South America of Javier Mascherano and Lucas, with the Argentina captain and Brazilian midfielder not due back on Merseyside until tomorrow. The summer signing Sotirios Kyrgiakos provided another injury headache when he damaged a knee during Greece's 2-1 defeat of Luxembourg. Initial reports claimed the central defender had suffered a cruciate ligament injury and would be out for four months. Liverpool officials, however, have since spoken to Kyrgiakos in Athens and are hopeful his injury is not as severe as first feared.
The Greek international has made only two appearances since his £1.5m arrival from AEK Athens but his absence would leave Liverpool light in defence, with Daniel Agger yet to appear for his club this season although he played in Denmark's two World Cup qualifiers this week. Dirk Kuyt is continuing to receive treatment on an ankle injury suffered on international duty with Holland.
Liverpool said: "Sotirios Kyrgiakos will be examined by our medical staff when he returns to Liverpool later this evening. Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres will not train with the rest of the squad today but will continue to receive treatment and will be assessed again tomorrow."
Liverpool's co-owner George Gillett, meanwhile, has denied that Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah is close to purchasing a stake in the Anfield club. The American has been in Saudi Arabia this week as part of Liverpool's plans to sponsor football academies in the region and his own interest in extending his Nascar franchise. That has encouraged claims that Prince Faisal will become one of the new investors in Liverpool that Gillett and his co-owner, Tom Hicks, are under pressure from the banks to find, with the prince's company, F6, promoting that prospect.
But Gillett said: "I can categorically deny that we have had any conversations along those lines. The purpose of my trip to the Middle East was to talk about Liverpool football academies and stock car racing." He refused to rule out an investment from the prince completely, however. "We may discuss that at some point in the future."
