Champions League: Steven Gerrard is winning his battle to lead Liverpool into tomorrow's quarter-final second leg at Chelsea. Gerrard was rested on Saturday by boss Rafael Benitez from the 4-0 win over Blackburn at Anfield following scans that showed a recurrence of the Liverpool skipper's groin injury.
But Benitez today confirmed that Gerrard was responding to treatment and will travel to London with the party later today, with Liverpool 3-1 down from the first leg.
Benitez said: “Steven is getting better, he has been working with the physio and will train later today. We will then discuss the situation with the doctors, but Steven will travel with the party to London and I will make a decision tomorrow.”
But it is becoming increasingly likely that Benitez will take the “calculated gamble” of using Gerrard from the start at Stamford Bridge.
He said: “Obviously we do not want him to break down again, he could then be out for 10 to 16 days. But the injury is not a massive one, it will be a calculated gamble to play him but one that I will consider.
“We are 3-1 down and we know that everything can change if we have Steven in the side and he plays well.”
Benitez will have midfielder Javier Mascherano back from suspension, and reports that Liverpool have no other injury problems.
Chelsea captain John Terry is suspended for the match after collecting a yellow card for his challenge on Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina at Anfield.
Right-back Jose Bosingwa is expected to be sidelined because of hamstring trouble while Alex will replace Terry alongside Ricardo Carvalho in the centre of the defence.
Joe Cole and Paulo Ferreira are absent with knee ligament injuries.
Chelsea team(from): Cech, Hilario, Belletti, Alex, Ivanovic, Carvalho, Mancienne, A Cole, Lampard, Ballack, Deco, Obi, Kalou, Essien, Malouda, Di Santo, Anelka, Quaresma, Stoch, Drogba
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