Europa League Play-Offs, Trabzonspor vs. Liverpool – Reds Travel to Turkey without Seven Key Players
Liverpool get set to take on Trabzonspor, the Turkish side, in the second leg of the Europa League qualifying play-offs.
The Reds will be without seven first-team players, who are missing due to one reason or another. Even though they were in control of the game last week – the opening fixture at Anfield, they barely managed a win. They take a 1-0 lead to Turkey.
Liverpool faced disappointment domestically yet again as they lost 3-0 to Manchester City on Monday, and with low morale will find it hard to deal with the Turkish side, that too away from home.
The Reds travel to Turkey without captain Steven Gerrard and striker Fernando Torres. Gerrard is out with a back problem, while Torres has been declared unfit and is being rested until he regains full fitness. Roy Hodgson cannot afford to have the striker out for too long, and is saving him for later.
Both players are expected to make a comeback on Sunday, in the Premier League fixture against West Brom. However, it is tonight, in the second best competition of Europe, that Liverpool need them most. It will be interesting to see how Roy Hodgson’s men carry on without their star players.
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger is suffering from a mild concussion and is being rested. The youngster knocked heads in the match against Arsenal and even though chose to continue to play, had no recollection of the incident or the rest of the match after he was taken to the hospital and given medical attention.
Javier Mascherano, the villain of the week, who refused to play against City, has not flown with the team to Turkey. Inter Milan and Barcelona have both shown interest in the player, and he is keen on a move and is currently not part of the team.
Milan Jovanovic and new signing Danny Wilson are being rested, though Joe Cole and Christian Poulsen are likely to start in tonight’s match. However, the former Chelsea star, who missed a penalty in last week’s fixture, has vowed to not take any more penalties.
Cole has had a poor start for Liverpool, being sent off against Arsenal in the first fixture of the new season and then missing a penalty in the Europa League. However, the England International admitted that he had not taken a penalty in more than a decade and in the future would let his teammates do the honours.
Roy Hodgson explained Torres’ situation, whom he was resting for tonight’s match. He said, “In leaving a player like Torres out of this game to make sure he can play on Sunday (against West Brom) I am not capable of saying this is the priority. We decided it would be unwise for him to travel as he played virtually a full game on Monday night, the situation with his knee (last season) and the fact he is still in a pre-season training program.”
Hodgson reached the final of the competition with former club Fulham, but revealed that in this season with Liverpool the Premier League was the priority. He told reporters, “No-one wants to go out at this stage of the season but we've been handed the most difficult draw. The task will be a tough one but there is no doubt, come May, our league position will be of more interest than how well we fared in the Europa League so I don't make any apologies.”
Possible Starting XI:
Trabzonspor (4-3-3): Kivrak, Cale, Glowacki, Korkmaz, Balci, Colman, Alanzinho, Gulselam, Inan, Yilmaz, Gutierrez.
Subs: Sevim, Cora, Yumlu, Memis, Atas, Gabric, Yattara.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio; Lucas, Poulsen, Kuyt, Cole, Babel; Ngog.
Subs: Gulacsi, Spearing, Pacheco, Shelvey, Kelly, Kyrgiakos, Ecclestone.
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