Rafa Benítez had hoped to play his talismanic captain
against United.
Steven Gerrard has told Rafael Benítez that he is
unlikely to be fit for Manchester United's visit to Anfield on
Saturday and that Liverpool have to abandon their natural caution
to close the gap on the Premier League's leading
teams.
The Liverpool manager has set Gerrard the optimistic target of
this weekend's clash with the champions to return from two minor
groin operations that caused him to miss England's World Cup
qualifiers against Andorra and Croatia. Benítez is desperate to
have his captain available to face United given that Fernando
Torres is also scheduled to miss out with a hamstring injury. But
Gerrard believes it would be too much of a risk to press him back
into service just 15 days after going under the knife and that he
should be spared until Liverpool's opening Champions League group
game on September 16.
"That's a bit too soon," he said of a possible comeback against
United. "I've a decent chance for the Champions League game in
Marseille. I've spoken to the manager and told him I'd like to do a
certain amount of training before I come back. I don't want to go
into a big game only having had one session with the boys."
Regardless of whether he and Torres miss United's visit to
Anfield, Gerrard believes Benítez's Liverpool have to show greater
ambition against Sir Alex Ferguson's team and Chelsea than in
recent seasons. "Against Chelsea in the cups, we've done them more
than they've done us, but in the league we have to be a bit more
attack-minded to win," added the Liverpool captain.
"Over the last couple of years we've gone into games against
United and Chelsea very organised tactically - defensive if you
like - and still lost 1-0. Have the same sound defence and show
more bollocks going forward, and it could be 1-0 to us. In these
matches the first goal is massive; if you concede it, nine times
out of 10 you don't get back. It's important a few risks are taken
to try to score that goal against these teams because it gives you
such a psychological boost."
