Fernando Torres has been ruled out for six weeks – delivering a crushing blow to his beleaguered boss Rafa Benitez.
Captain Steven Gerrard will also be missing for a fortnight, while fellow midfielder Yossi Benayoun is out for up to four weeks, adding injury to the insult of Wednesday night’s FA Cup defeat at the hands of Championship strugglers Reading.
Star striker Torres will not be back until the end of February after suffering torn knee cartilage that will require surgery.
Scans showed that Gerrard, who was substituted at half time, suffered a hamstring strain. Benayoun, meanwhile, has fractured a rib.
Torres limped out of the Cup defeat after less than half an hour. Reading’s 2-1 extra-time win at Anfield ended the Reds’ hopes of reaching Wembley.
Benitez’s side, already out of the Champions League and Carling Cup, sit 12 points off the pace in the Barclays Premier League and have only the Europa League as a realistic prize to play for.
Liverpool have been accused of relying too heavily on Torres and Gerrard and struggled when both missed spells before Christmas with groin problems.
The talismanic duo and Benayoun will all miss games against Stoke, Tottenham and Wolves with Gerrard hoping to return to face Bolton on January 30.
If Benayoun meets lower estimates and is out for three weeks, he will also miss Bolton and possibly the Merseyside derby with Everton on February 6.
Torres will not feature in any of those games or further Premier League matches against Arsenal and Manchester City and the two-legged Europa League clash with Romanian team Unirea Urziceni.
Poetic justice really, as these players will now miss the Spurs game that Liverpool had rearranged so they could have extra rest. Karma.
No real football fan wants to see great players like these sidelined for weeks on end, let alone ‘Pool fans. Obviously, pundits will say their next opponents will never get a better chance to beat them. True.
BUT, I would say to Stoke, Wolves & fellow Spurs fans, don’t get too smug ahead of your game, this is Liverpool we’re facing & they are still capable of getting 9 points from the 3 games, despite missing these key men.
You can’t write off the Club that came from 3 down in a CL final & won it, they will be a wounded animal because of this latest set back – the most dangerous of all.
Arsenal have had injuries problems but does not have the problem that Liverpool is facing. Liverpool doesn’t seem to be a complete team. Any decent teams on good form will beat them as shown in few league games and now lost to Reading.
They need new leadership which is the missing link. Gus Hiddink will be a good choice. Man C looks different with Mancini in charge. Probably the American owners are facing financial problem and unable to pay off Rafa.
Jeez… football is depressing at the moment…. as a United fan this story is not funny. Our club is in meltdown, the auld enemy is being taken down too and the whole while all the best players in the world are in Spain. Rubbish.
OH NO! This is going to ruin Liverpools attemps getting a championsleague place next season! God help us!
This is the price that Benitez has had to pay by rushing both Torres and Gerrard back from injury.
Even though, reports say Gerrard could return in a fortnight, it’s clear that his persistent injuries need time to heal and I think he should come off the bench and be used sparingly, until he heals completely.
I also hope he shuts Torres down for the season, so a truly world class striker can make it to the grandest stage of them all, the world cup.
It’s tragic that 2 world class players have been jeopardized by a clueless manager to try and save a doomed season.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Read the article on Mail on Sunday
Liverpool crisis – Fernando Torres out for six weeks, Steven Gerrard sidelined for fortnight and Yossi Benayoun cracks rib
Fernando Torres has been ruled out for six weeks – delivering a crushing blow to his beleaguered boss Rafa Benitez.
Captain Steven Gerrard will also be missing for a fortnight, while fellow midfielder Yossi Benayoun is out for up to four weeks, adding injury to the insult of Wednesday night’s FA Cup defeat at the hands of Championship strugglers Reading.
Star striker Torres will not be back until the end of February after suffering torn knee cartilage that will require surgery.
Scans showed that Gerrard, who was substituted at half time, suffered a hamstring strain. Benayoun, meanwhile, has fractured a rib.
Torres limped out of the Cup defeat after less than half an hour. Reading’s 2-1 extra-time win at Anfield ended the Reds’ hopes of reaching Wembley.
Benitez’s side, already out of the Champions League and Carling Cup, sit 12 points off the pace in the Barclays Premier League and have only the Europa League as a realistic prize to play for.
Liverpool have been accused of relying too heavily on Torres and Gerrard and struggled when both missed spells before Christmas with groin problems.
The talismanic duo and Benayoun will all miss games against Stoke, Tottenham and Wolves with Gerrard hoping to return to face Bolton on January 30.
If Benayoun meets lower estimates and is out for three weeks, he will also miss Bolton and possibly the Merseyside derby with Everton on February 6.
Torres will not feature in any of those games or further Premier League matches against Arsenal and Manchester City and the two-legged Europa League clash with Romanian team Unirea Urziceni.
Poetic justice really, as these players will now miss the Spurs game that Liverpool had rearranged so they could have extra rest. Karma.
No real football fan wants to see great players like these sidelined for weeks on end, let alone ‘Pool fans. Obviously, pundits will say their next opponents will never get a better chance to beat them. True.
BUT, I would say to Stoke, Wolves & fellow Spurs fans, don’t get too smug ahead of your game, this is Liverpool we’re facing & they are still capable of getting 9 points from the 3 games, despite missing these key men.
You can’t write off the Club that came from 3 down in a CL final & won it, they will be a wounded animal because of this latest set back – the most dangerous of all.
Arsenal have had injuries problems but does not have the problem that Liverpool is facing. Liverpool doesn’t seem to be a complete team. Any decent teams on good form will beat them as shown in few league games and now lost to Reading.
They need new leadership which is the missing link. Gus Hiddink will be a good choice. Man C looks different with Mancini in charge. Probably the American owners are facing financial problem and unable to pay off Rafa.
Jeez… football is depressing at the moment…. as a United fan this story is not funny. Our club is in meltdown, the auld enemy is being taken down too and the whole while all the best players in the world are in Spain. Rubbish.
OH NO! This is going to ruin Liverpools attemps getting a championsleague place next season! God help us!
This is the price that Benitez has had to pay by rushing both Torres and Gerrard back from injury.
Even though, reports say Gerrard could return in a fortnight, it’s clear that his persistent injuries need time to heal and I think he should come off the bench and be used sparingly, until he heals completely.
I also hope he shuts Torres down for the season, so a truly world class striker can make it to the grandest stage of them all, the world cup.
It’s tragic that 2 world class players have been jeopardized by a clueless manager to try and save a doomed season.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
