Striker to miss Blues clash

Liverpool go into tonight's clash with Birmingham without striker Fernando Torres but there is a hope that Steven Gerrard may play.

Torres is to be left out of Spain's clash with Argentina and is likely to be out for at least three weeks as he tries to shake off the problem without the need for surgery.

Gerrard may well play despite the fact he is out of England's game with Brazil, but fears remain that he may need an operation on the problem in the long term.

Albert Riera, Fabio Aurelio and Nabil El Zhar are back training and will be considered while Martin Skrtel is expected to return after overcoming a virus but Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher are both suspended and Martin Kelly remains injured.