Steven Gerrard left out of Europa League match, while Dirk Kuyt is eager to revisit old team
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has been left out of the squad travelling to Holland for the English Premier League side’s UEFA Europa League group stage match against Utrecht.
Manager Roy Hodgson opted to rest the 30-year-old midfielder during the encounter, along with central defender Daniel Agger (who also left behind in England).
Among the 20 men who have made the trip is star striker Fernando Torres. The 2010 FIFA World Cup winner has not enjoyed the best of starts to this campaign — he has netted only once so far — and will be making his first appearance in European competition
this season.
Paul Konchesky and Fabio Aurelio will also miss out on the match due to hamstring and Achilles tendon problems, leaving Hodgson with few experienced options to fill the left-back berth. As a result, 20-year-old Martin Kelly, who has made just one league
appearance for the club, but who has featured throughout this season’s Europa League campaign, looks set to be named in the starting line-up.
Meanwhile, Dirk Kuyt, who made his comeback from a shoulder injury when he started in the 2-2 draw against Sunderland in the EPL on Saturday, will be returning to face his former club in his homeland, and will be looking forward to the match.
"They are the club that gave me the opportunity to play professional football. I had five years there and really enjoyed it. I was really happy for the opportunity they gave me. I don't know a lot of players there now. There are just two or three that still
play for the team, but I also know a few guys who work at the club so it'll be nice to go back and see them."
He added that Liverpool was targeting three points in a bid to secure progression to the knock-out phase of the competition, as soon as possible.
"We want to get a result. If we beat Utrecht in Utrecht, it will be great because we would have six points in the group already and we would almost be in the next round."
The game marks Liverpool’s second match in the group stage of the competition. They will be looking to put their poor domestic form behind them as they attempt to build on the 4-1 win over Steaua Bucharest earlier this month.
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