There’s been a whole raft of injury updates from Anfield over the past 24 hours, the highlight of which has been talk of a return for striker Fernando Torres for next Sunday’s visit to Manchester City. RafaBenitez has however, since gone on record to state that the City clash is likely to come too early for his compatriot hitman.
Torres was reported to have made strong progress with the knee injury that has kept him out since the FA Cup replay with Reading on January 13. The striker was seen running laps in last Tuesday’s training session, raising hopes that he could come into contention next Sunday. Rafa has since gone on record to rain on that parade just a little…
“I think it will be too early…He is training with the physios and the fitness coach, but he’s still not involved with the team…We will see next week how he progresses.”
Torres is clearly a crucial component in Liverpool’s quest for a Champions League spot and despite making just 19 appearances this season, he remains top scorer at the club with 12 goals. Fantasy Managers, particularly those looking to bridge a mini-league gap, would more than welcome his return. His re-introduction to the season would provide a big potential differential at a time when Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney are monopolising our thoughts up front. How many lineups will be able to boast Drogba , Rooney and Torres given their price? Not too many. A return for Torres would present a genuine third option for big points and Fantasy Premier League captaincy, and offer a glimmer of hope to those fantasy managers looking to make up a deficit.
With Liverpool facing Europa Cup opposition on the Thursday following the City game, Torres could well be earmarked for a return for the slightly more friendly looking home encounter with Blackburn Rovers on February 28. After this, Rafa takes his troops toWigan in early March, before hosting Portsmouth. So that’s Blackburn, Wigan and Portsmouth to come in succession. If the return of Torres is immanent, he certainly has the opposition lined up to return to scoring form.
Elsewhere from Anfield, there’s news that Yossi Benayoun has returned to training. He too has been absent since the Cup replay defeat to Reading; a match which saw him sustain broken ribs. He too would seem likely to come into the reckoning for the home game with Blackburn in a fortnight. He may yet present a decent mid-price option in midfield but since he’s somehow struggled to convince Rafa of his ability, it seems unlikely that he’ll maintain regular starts when fit.
There’s also news on Glen Johnson. He has revealed that he is close to a return from a medial ligament injury that has kept him sidelined since December 29.
“I’m definitely over the worst of it now and I’m about two away from training, so I’m getting there.”
Johnson’s could well be in contention in the early stages of next month then, presenting Rafa will a new dilemma at the back. Rafa will of course install Johnson at right-back immediately that he is available but that would give the Liverpool boss the choice of Carragher, Skrtel, Agger and the improved Sotirios Kyrgiakos for the two centre-back roles.
Kyrgiakos misses the City and Blackburn league games through suspension but would return to Rafa’s thinking just in time for Johnson to stake his claim for a recall. With Aurelio set to challengeInsua at left-back, uncertainty on team selection is very much back when it comes to the Liverpool defence. Just like the good old days of the previous two seasons.