Torres blow rocks Liverpool

Gerrard and Benayoun also facing spells on sidelines

By Rob Parrish   Last updated: 14th January 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Torres blow rocks Liverpool

Torres: Knee surgery

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Liverpool have been left reeling by the news that star striker Fernando Torres is facing six weeks on the sidelines as he requires knee surgery on a torn cartilage.

To add to beleaguered manager Rafa Benitez's woes, captain Steven Gerrard will be out for a fortnight with a hamstring strain and Yossi Benayoun could miss the next month with a fractured rib.

The Reds' miserable season hit a new low on Wednesday night as they crashed out of the FA Cup at home to Reading with the Championship outfit claiming a deserved extra-time victory in their third round replay.

With Liverpool already eliminated from the UEFA Champions League and badly off the pace in the Premier League, a season which promised so much is rapidly being plunged into chaos.

Benitez's men face a real battle to finish in the top four to secure a return to European football's top table, are out of the Carling Cup and have only the scant consolation of the Europa League to aim for in the silverware stakes.

The loss of star striker Torres for an extended period will put further pressure on the Anfield outfit as they aim to improve on their current position of seventh in the table, five points adrift of Manchester City in fourth.

Torn cartilage

Torres was withdrawn from the action during the first half of the dismal Royals defeat while Gerrard did not emerge for the second period.

Both players were sent for scans and the club have now confirmed their absences, plus the injury blow suffered by Israeli midfielder Benayoun.

A spokesman told the club's official website: "Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres both underwent scans earlier today after coming off in the FA Cup tie against Reading.

"Steven has a hamstring strain and will be out for a fortnight, while Fernando has torn a cartilage in his right knee. The injury will require surgery and he is expected to be sidelined for six weeks.

"Yossi Benayoun also suffered a fractured rib in the game and will be unavailable for between three and four weeks."

Comments (38)

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David Tinsley (Liverpool fan) says...

1. americans need to sell up, or they r gunna go under and take liverpool with them 2. benitez needs to walk if he cared for this team hed walk cos he is rich enough or is he a greedy man who is doing this to liverpool on purpose to be sacked and paid the huge compensation. 3. if liverpool can sell to multi billionaires,, then id like to see either mourinho or harry redknapp or martin o neil as manager. gerrard once said he doesnt want to win the league with any one else other than liverpool so hopefully he sticks to his pledge to liverpool to fight for the title for the rest of his career think of the liverpool fans who have took u to their hearts and paid towards your wages since u were jus a kid....we had a good season last year...we have one bad season and ppl talk of relegation get a grip ppl not happening look at tottenham they had a good season 2 seasons ago had a bad season last year and ppl talked of them losing it but now look at them their fighting for the top 4 lol

Posted 05:51 15th January 2010

Gab Emordi (Liverpool fan) says...

Torres is a big loss, but the team might be a bit less predictable with Gerrard out. Remember the 2nd leg against Chelsea last season? Gerrard out and the team improved. And Gerrard's been poor this season. Give Babel the run in the team he needs, get Aquilani on the ball as much as possible, Mascherano to return. it may not turn out as bad as people think. Looks like Rodriguez is going to be thrown into the team now. Play 4-4-2, the two dutchmen up front, Rodriguez on the right and maybe Riera back soon. Aquilani and Mascherano in the middle, all we need is a new manager then!

Posted 05:25 15th January 2010

Peter Mulder (Weston-S-Mare fan) says...

I laugh at the crying Liverpool fans. Vain beyond belief when they win something (anyone remember ?), and crying when someone gets hurt ... They've overstayed their time in the Premier League, with divers like Kuyt and a butcher like Mascherano ... those guys, and many others, don't deserve to be in that league along the likes of true stars. It's time Liverpool fans realised that nobody has a god-given right to be in that league (ask Newcastle !), and that what was achieve 30 years ago doesn't count for anything today. Live with your history and cry, or do what Wenger does and prepare for the future. The choice is yours, but stop crying and boring us with all sorts of excuses. Definitely the worst-playing team in the league right now !

Posted 05:07 15th January 2010

Rob Wiliams (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan) says...

Its a shame but Torres Like Michael Owen is becoming a Mr Sicknote!Not his fault but thats the facts of the matter!Lucas well enough said!!!

Posted 04:17 15th January 2010

Abhiram Shivaswamy (Manchester United fan) says...

Well this is indeed very bad for Liverpool .... Not having 3 Best players, Benayoun the best player this season for them, is really difficult to gather. I would say sacking Benitez would not solve the problem as he can't do anything about injuries. But what he could do is with getting rid of so many useless players lucas, babel, ngog, just to name a few. But i believe he will get the sack by next summer ..... Who would want to replace him ??? By the time new manager comes, gerrard, torres and benayoun may as well would have left , so its down to championship for liverpool !!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted 02:20 15th January 2010

Madfan Supporter (Liverpool fan) says...

First off all the blames should be @ feet off american owners. Hicks is having payroll problems with Tx Rangers, thats why he is trying to sell them, secondly the he has gutted the Dallas Stars. He and Jr have no idea on how to plan and support true sport, the still have no idea how loyal the true football fans are. GG is no better has co-owner. Rafa must go, he has no idea on how to handle transfer market he needs to go,. true football owner is need @ top then true manager is need. Liverpool need to find core players that were great when King kenny ran show:

Posted 01:45 15th January 2010

Peter Francis (Liverpool fan) says...

Liverpool "supporters" who belittle and bemoan their team on boards like this don't even deserve to watch us put in the kind of performance we did on Wednesday against Reading. Who are you going to bring in if Rafa goes? who are we going to buy with no money? Too many of those players aren't good enough to wear the shirt, but go to Old Trafford or Goodison on Saturday's if you don't understand what the word "support" means! No manager gets every transfer right and we aren't City or Chelsea who can buy anyone they want! None of your words on a sky sports website are going to fix any of the problems at Anfield either on the pitch or in the boardroom, noone has a right to win anything based on the past so let's not turn into Spurs and Newcastle fans who think that a loyal fan-base is the same as winning the league. Reina, jonson, Aurelio, Skyrtl, Agger, mascherano, Aquilani, Rodriguez, Gerrard, Riera, Torres is still a class XI and we're not out of the top 4 race yet...the least you can all do is give the players some support rather than give the rest of the league a lift against us with your lack of it!

Posted 01:32 15th January 2010

Steve Lock (Manchester United fan) says...

Unfortunately Liverpool fans the only person to blame is Rafa. You may think he is a good manager, and arguably he is a very good tachtician, however when he first started he won the champions league for Liverpool with the squad Gerard Houllier, he did not win it with his squad or anything of the sort. Yet it seems since then Rafa has been building his own squad, but all the players he has brought in apart from Torres and Benayoun are simply not good enough for the premier league's top four. As such Liverpool can not perform to this degree. In a nutshell it is Rafa's fault. He had money at first, but found bad players, average players. That is where Liverpool have gone wrong. Last season there best players- Torres, Gerrard, Benayoun and the rest of the team were all working incredibly hard, however perhaps over perofrming in terms of there general potential. That clearly can not last long term. In my opinion Rafa has made bad signings, hence Liverpool are struggling. Average players + 2 good players = average team relying on those 2 players. That is just my opinion anyway.

Posted 01:10 15th January 2010

Mark Blake (Manchester United fan) says...

Paul French, A fan that blames injuries for a poor season is blind to the obvious. Let me explain, Manchester United have had some terrible injuries this season, at once stage they had only 1 actual defender in the back 4. Look where they are in the table.. want me to point it out?? 2nd?? Arsenal have van persie out FOR THE WHOLE SEASON and fabregas is only just returning and look where they are... It is typical for a liverpool fan to blame 2 injuries on poor performance, it is embarassing. No depth to squad. Fabregas out injured = ramsey, diaby, nasri step up to the plate. Torres out... voronin (transferred out now too) or ngog (who usually hits the corner flag when shooting). A factor in football is injuries, and if your team can't handle it, don't start looking elsewhere for answers as every other team has battled through the still got the results. Even when Torres gets subbed you lose, staying in the top 10 will be a huge challenge for you this season and the lack of funds will see you drop down the table further as the seasons progress.

Posted 01:00 15th January 2010

Nick C (AC Milan fan) says...

Everyone has injury problems but, it seems to affect Liverpool way more than others because of one simple fact. Complete lack of depth and complete lack of preparation for this kind of situation by Rafa. Look at Man utd and Arsenal, they have tons of problems too. Man utd is getting away playing midfielders as CB and Arsenal is getting away playing without a striker. Rafa has gone mad I think. Mad I tell ya

Posted 00:45 15th January 2010

Kev Black (Arsenal fan) says...

To blame Sammy Lee for not warming the players up properly is pathetic. Liverpool's squad cost a fortune. They have injuries,yes, pretty much like all the other teams then. When will people admit that this expensive squad is simply not good enough. Liverpool have won the champions league and I praise them for that, but you cannot live in the past. The league needs a strong Liverpool team so I do hope that they turn things around.

Posted 00:38 15th January 2010

James Stockwell (Liverpool fan) says...

I have been a Liverpool fan for 20 years and have never once wanted to see a manager loose his job as it is not part of the Liverpool tradition but...... Saying that this is the worst moment of my life as a Liverpool Fan and i have to say it boils down to Rafa Benitiez and the joke that is our board. No squad depth after 5 years-joke 300million debt- joke Reliant on two players-joke Owned by people that are not part of Liverpool history or tradition- joke No Real Youth policy- joke No body coming through- Joke No new stadium-joke. Rafa Benitez- JOKE!!!

Posted 00:37 15th January 2010

Ross Mcmahon (Liverpool fan) says...

Its somewhat ironically fitting, that Reading are the team to prompt the biggest "Rafa must go" shouts that we've heard all season. Around about this time 2 years ago, with Liverpool still well in the title race (unlike now), Reading beat us 3-1. A game in which Rafa substituted both Gerrard and torres after about 60 mins (it was only 2-1 to reading at that stage!!) You see, we had a make or break game in the CL on the Wednesday, and we all know super fit players can't play 2 full games in 4 days!! I said it back then and I'll say it untill the F=*ker is gone - Rafa will NEVER win the league for Liverpool Football Club. RAFA OUT

Posted 00:09 15th January 2010

James Huntley-smyth (Liverpool fan) says...

Yes this is bad news and last season we didn't have torres for half the season and we were top so how comes we are desperately relying on him now. We have been in a run of poor form this season but how comes we can beat united and still be in this mess. Liverpool didn't play amazingly last night but were 1-0 up for 55 mins without torres and 45 mins without gerrard so even though gerrard made the goal we still didn't need him for 1 half. It's quite funny how reading miracuously get a penalty and equalise with 10 seconds to go now thats something that happens on fifa but come on Phil Dowd I know why you dit it but that wasn't a penalty and no matter how much anyone doesn't like liverpool you have to admit that wasn't a penalty and no matter how bad a team might play in a game they don't deserve to go out to a dodgy penalty. I must say WELL DONE to Shane Long for cheating us out diving for a penalty and then scoring the winning goal which knocks us out Ver ironic but WELL DONE

Posted 23:56 14th January 2010

Waqs Ijaz says...

Rafa is a very lucky man becasue the only thing that is keeping him in the job is his £20 million contract!

Posted 23:53 14th January 2010

Michael Rodrigues (Arsenal fan) says...

The reasons for liverpools decline this season are this 1. You sold ur most creative and arguably your most influential player of last season xabi alonso, and replaced him with an injury prone player who can only pass the ball for side to side. This player being alberto aquilani. 2. You play a system that requires genuine quality down the flanks which you dont have. Benyeoun is a good player but not world class. And as for Kuyt benitez took a once prolific strike and turned him into an average winger..the same as wenger did with henry but in reverse!!! 3.Finally too many poor buys players like lucas,ngog,degan, etc arent going to win you anything and dont deserve to be playing at the level that they are ngog in particular.It is obvious that benitez is still high off the euphoria of that lucky night in istanbul and has no long term vision for the team. Personally i find joy at liverpools decline however saying that i would rather see them in the CL than Spurs!!!! That cant happen COME ON LIVERPOOL.

Posted 23:36 14th January 2010

Paul Amer (Liverpool fan) says...

From the descriptions of the tackles that were flying in and the LFC injury list it really seems like the referee didn't handle the game very well. No wonder managers are reluctant to risk players in games/competitions like this.

Posted 23:18 14th January 2010

Stuart Munds (Liverpool fan) says...

This season has been a shambles we have no depth in the squad spend £20 million on crocked players when we are in dire needs of another striker, there is no creativity in the middle of the park when gerrard isnt playing. As usual we rely to heavily on Gerrard and Torres to get us results, get rid of Lucas hes useless, Insua is to lightweight at the back and bring in some descent players we should be buying the likes of David Villa, Sergio Aguero to name but a few not free transfers like Maxi Rodrieguez, we are falling fast i can see us ending up th same way as Leeds Utd!!

Posted 22:30 14th January 2010

Gav Jewson (Liverpool fan) says...

Think Rafa should do the honourable thing and resign ASAP... Up until this season he would have been regarded as a popular Liverpool manager who brought many famous victories during his reign but now unfortunately he will be remembered as the man who ruined LFC....His biggest mistake was not keeping keane or replacing him with a recognised striker which would have probably won us the title last season, given us the cover we need for torres during injuries and also we wouldnt be in as much of a mess now.He is too stubborn and wont admit his poor signings.. and is now the only person in world who thinks Lucas is a good player!! if we do miss 4th place which is looking likely( the way we play) then Torres and probably Gerrard will go this year (dont blame them) then we will follow Newcastle and become a mediocre prem side and then eventually get relegated!! Come on Rafa play the game!

Posted 22:13 14th January 2010

Dave Murphy (Manchester United fan) says...

The problem is down to 2 things. Available cash and Benitez. It wasn't a master stroke when he bought Torres as he was coveted by every club on the planet. Fantastic striker but an injury freak. United had the same issues with Giggs in his early 20's but the difference was that Fergie had built a team not a couple of individuals. While Fergie has bought some rubber ducks (Veron, Klebberson) he has managed to get more good in than bad. Benitez im afraid has brought more bad in than good. So what next? Fire him? If so who is going to replace him and more importantly they will have zero cash to spend so to fire him would make no sense at all. The issue is not just his purchases but there is no cash flow. As a United fan i am loving every minute of this but im afraid sacking him wont change much.

Posted 21:49 14th January 2010
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