Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson promises to start strong team
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has stated that he will send out a strong team in their Europa League match with Napoli on Thursday 4 November.
The two sides will meet at Anfield, but Liverpool will be out the injured Joe Cole, Dirk Kuyt and Daniel Agger.
Hodgson said, "We'll have a strong team out on Thursday, we won't rest too many," said the Liverpool manager.
Hodgson seems more likely to risk playing key players like Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard at home.
"When you're playing these European games it's the travelling that's one of the worst aspects. You're away for three days and you're very concerned about the way the players will react, not just to the game but also the travelling,” said Hodgson.
The Liverpool manager feels that there is less of a gamble on playing a strong team at home when they have more time to recover.
"At home it's a slightly lesser problem, but of course we need to look at the minutes people are playing and try to keep some sort of balance there."
Liverpool have performed well in Europe in comparison to their form in the Premier League and have rested a number of their best players in the away games of the competition.
"I think if we can get four more points we'll be pretty much secure for a place in the next round as I can see the other games being tight. We got one of the tougher groups with Napoli, Steaua [Bucharest] and Utrecht and on paper it looked even, but we've
done what we've needed to do," added Hodgson.
Liverpool top their Europa League group with five points and a win should be enough to see the team advance to the next stages of the competition.
Hodgson will be eager to get three points in the match against Napoli so that he can turn his attention back to the league.
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