Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard gave a frank assessment of his side's UEFA Champions League
performance after they were beaten 2-1 by Fiorentina at Anfield.
The Reds were already condemned to the obscurity of the Europa League prior to the match and were
guaranteed to finish third in Group E.
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez continues to guarantee that his side will finish in the top four of
the Premier League, but the Spaniard will be well aware that anything less than three points
against Wolves at Anfield will increase doubts.
The Reds have suffered a shocking campaign after producing numerous uninspiring displays to fall
eight points off the UEFA Champions League places, a competition the 2005 winners were dumped out
of at the group stages this season.
Rafael Benítez's conviction that Liverpool are over the worst of a turbulent season gained further
credence today when Fernando Torres returned to full training for the first time in four weeks. The
club are confident their leading goalscorer will be available for Saturday's visit to Blackburn
Rovers.
A must win match for Rafa and Steven Gerrard.
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Blackburn will check on the fitness of David Dunn, who missed the midweek win against
Chelsea with a calf problem.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has voiced his frustration at his sides failure to compete at
the top of the table this season. Liverpool currently trail leaders Chelsea by 13 points, they lie
in seventh and have lost five times already. Their performances have been some way off the form
that led them to finish second last season and you can understand Gerrard's frustration.
Rafa Benitez has played down reports of a row with Alberto Aquilani and confirmed he will make his
full Liverpool debut on Wednesday.
The Italian international has yet to start at game for the club since joining from Roma for
£20million in the summer.
Reports on Tuesday from Italy suggested that Aquilani was becoming frustrated at his lack of
playing time, with his father claiming he has been fully recovered from his knee injury for over a
month.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is delighted to welcome silky striker Fernando Torres back to
first-team duty after the Spaniard cemented his return during Wednesday evening's 2-1 loss to
Fiorentina.
Torres, despite accumulating an impressive goal-haul this season - he has scored 10 in the Premier
League alone - has been out of action for the past five weeks due to a groin injury.
Rafael Benitez believes players like Jamie Carragher are part of a dying breed as the defender
prepares to make his 600th Liverpool appearance.
The Bootle-born centre-back is set to reach the milestone for the club he joined as a schoolboy at
Portsmouth on Saturday.
Carragher worked his way through the academy and an apprenticeship to make his debut on January 8
1997.
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has revealed he turned down an invitation from Fabio Capello to
return to the England set-up.
Carragher, 31, won 34 caps for his country but announced his international retirement in the summer
of 2007.
However, with encouragement from club captain Steven Gerrard he initially agreed to meet Capello's
assistant Franco Baldini, but changed his mind at the last moment.
