Gerrard ruled out of trip to Bordeaux
Liverpool have spent much of the season trying to disprove the
theory that they are a one-man team.
Now without skipper Steven Gerrard in tomorrow's Champions League
clash here, they have the biggest stage possible to prove their
point.
Gerrard was left behind on Merseyside today for more treatment on a
hamstring injury, with Sunday's crunch away Premiership game at
Manchester United very much in boss Rafael Benitez's mind.
He has been forced to gamble. Liverpool will have three more
chances after this confrontation with Bordeaux to clinch
qualification from Group C, but if they lose at Old Trafford next
weekend, their title hopes are as good as over.
Hence the lack of their inspirational skipper here ahead of the
match in the Stade Chaban Delmas which would have been Gerrard's
350th for the club.
It is clear that Benitez would rather Gerrard be fit to reach that
milestone in Manchester rather than in south west France against a
side yet to register a goal in the group, and with only one point
to their name.
Benitez looked glum when he revealed Gerrard's absence, the player
who won him more games on his own than any other last term,
culminating in a stunning performance while crippled with cramp to
claim the FA Cup in Cardiff when it looked to be slipping away from
them.
Benitez says: 'We do not want to take risks. If it was the last
game of the season and I asked could Stevie play now, then yes, he
could. But not at this stage.
'He can change games so it is difficult when we lose him, but we do
have a squad I believe that is capable of handling the
situation.
'Stevie is influential, and last season he scored a lot of goals.
That has not happened yet but maybe we will now see him scoring,
starting on Sunday.'
Gerrard's lack of dynamic form this season, with him yet to score a
goal, further underlines the fear that without him, Liverpool are
never able to look a truly great side.
The 'one -man team' tag has already arisen this term, and Benitez
could do with a solid performance from his men without their
skipper.
He must already be steeling himself for Gerrard's absence on
Sunday, with hamstring injuries usually taking three weeks to
heal.
Liverpool will hope they have spotted the problem early and can
minimise the potential damage to their campaign.
Benitez said: 'Maybe Steve will be out for two or three days, I
hope no more. He has had treatment since he damaged his hamstring
against Blackburn but it is too much of a risk to use him now, with
the amount of big games we have coming up.
'He came off after the Blackburn game saying he felt some pain in
the back of his leg, we dare not take any chances with him.'
Benitez has Mohamed Sissoko here with the squad, although he admits
the Mali international has only a 80 per cent chance of playing as
he battles a groin problem.
Striker Dirk Kuyt also travelled but he has, says Benitez, 'only
with a 20 per cent chance of playing.' Robbie Fowler (back) and
Daniel Agger (broken hand) were also left behind.
Benitez says: 'We know that if we can win in Europe it will give us
more confidence in out domestic matches and also take us that bit
nearer to qualification for the next stage. We have four points, if
we can win here then we will be in a very good position.
'I have said that maybe I want better performances from some of the
senior players but that is not a criticism because we know why
things have not gone as well this season.
'The amount of time out players have been away with their
countries, even after a tiring World Cup, has not made things easy.
We are not the only club experiencing this.
'Players cannot be 100 per cent fit and in their best form at the
moment. They will all need time to recharge their batteries.
'We are now training all together at last after the international
breaks have finally finished. That is the key, now we should see
improvement.'
