EUROPA LEAGUE FC Utrecht v Liverpool:ROY HODGSON has declared Fernando Torres free of the injury problems that have plagued the Liverpool striker throughout 2010 and admitted the scar of Northampton Town influenced his decision to recall the Spain international for the Europa League.
Torres is available to make his first start in the competition this season against Utrecht tonight as Liverpool seek their first win in four matches.
Steven Gerrard has been rested in readiness for Sunday’s league game against Blackpool and may require an injection for a troublesome back problem after that match, but Hodgson believes Torres’ improving fitness and confidence warrant the forward’s inclusion in Holland.
A 45-minute appearance against Trabzonspor represents Torres’ only European football since he scored twice against Benfica in the Europa League quarter-final in April, with Liverpool keen to nurse their record signing back to full fitness after a series of hernia, knee and groin problems.
But Hodgson said: “The injury problems are behind him now and we can’t bring those up any more.”
Torres, despite struggling to rediscover top form this season, has been involved in Liverpool’s last four goals in the Premier League and Hodgson believes the 26-year-old’s confidence is also restored.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with his confidence, but, yeah, he’d like to have that goal,” the Liverpool manager said. “The thing with proven goalscorers is that you know it will come again.”
Hodgson admitted Torres’ inclusion was an insurance policy after the embarrassment of going out of the League Cup to Northampton on penalties with a second string last week.
“One of the benefits of having him here is that when you are drawing or losing to Northampton and you have left all your best players out to prepare for the weekend, then you would like to have your best players to change things,” he said.
“Maybe that’s one of the things I learnt from last week – but I learnt lots of things last week.”
Daniel Agger is absent with a groin injury that required the Danish defender to undergo an MRI scan yesterday and Hodgson said Gerrard was left behind because “I have plenty of options in central midfield”.
Group K Today, Stadion Galgenwaard kick-off – 6pm (Irish-time) Live on 3e ITV4
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Probable Teams
UTRECHT(4-4-2): Vorm; Cornelisse, Schut, Wuytens, Nesu; Duplan, Lensky, Silberbauer, Mertens; Mulenga, Van Wolfswinkel.
LIVERPOOL(4-4-2): Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Kelly; Kuyt, Lucas, Meireles, Cole; Ngog, Torres.
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