rediff.com
rediff.com  web 

Torres ruled out of Lyon clash

October 19, 2009 21:07 IST

Liverpool will be without striker Fernando Torres [ Images ] for Tuesday's Champions League [ Images ] clash with Olympique Lyon at Anfield but midfielder Steven Gerrard [ Images ] is expected to be fit, manager Rafael Benitez said on Monday.

Fernando Torres"Torres is still not ready. Hopefully he will be for the weekend, but not for this game," Benitez told reporters ahead of the Group E match.

Torres and Gerrard both missed Saturday's 1-0 league defeat at Sunderland, the club's third consecutive loss, a run that included a 2-0 defeat at Fiorentina in the Champions League.

Gerrard, who like Torres picked up a groin injury while on international duty last week, trained with the Liverpool squad on Monday.

"Steven is fit. He has been training so hopefully he will be available tomorrow," Benitez said. "It is important as we have had some problems with injuries since the start of the season, so having Gerrard fit is a big boost for us."

Rooney Giggs miss United's trip to Moscow [ Images ]

Wayne Rooney [ Images ] will miss Manchester United's [ Images ] Champions League match against CSKA Moscow on Wednesday with four other senior players also ruled out.

Ryan Giggs [ Images ], Patrice Evra [ Images ], Park ji-Sung [ Images ] and Darren Fletcher also failed to travel with the squad to Russia [ Images ] on Monday, the club's website (www.manutd.com) reported.

Striker Dimitar Berbatov and defender Nemanja Vidic [ Images ] both flew to Moscow and should be fit, manager Alex Ferguson [ Images ] said.

"I'm hopeful Vidic will be all right, but he'll certainly be ready for the Liverpool game (on Sunday)," he said.

United are top of Group B with six points after victories against Wolfsburg and Besiktas.

Source:
© Copyright 2009 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
 

Stars spotted!

Spotted: Matthew Hayden in Brisbane
Reader Prasanth Lekshmanan from Kerala spotted...

More stars spotted

Met a celebrity?
Email us photos & videos

Also Read

'Gerrard and Torres could start for Liverpool'

Gerrard named Footballer of the Year

Gerrard ruled out for three weeks

Liverpool say Villa not a target

Liverpool beat old rivals Leeds in League Cup