Beach-ball travels to Lyon with Liverpool

Liverpool will be without striker Fernando Torres for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Olympique Lyon at Anfield. However, there was some good news for manager Rafael Benitez with midfielder Steven Gerrard expected to be fit. "Torres is still not ready. Hopefully he will be for the weekend, but not for this game," Benitez said ahead of the Group E match. Torres and Gerrard both missed Saturday's 1-0 league defeat at Sunderland, the club's third consecutive loss, a run that included a 2-0 defeat at Fiorentina in the Champions League. Gerrard, who like Torres picked up a groin injury while on international duty last week, trained with the Liverpool squad on Monday. "Steven is fit. He has been training so hopefully he will be available," Benitez said. "It is important as we have had some problems with injuries since the start of the season, so having Gerrard fit is a big boost for us."

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ITN | October 19, 2009

Tags:. .included. .midfielder. .fiorentina. .anfield. .striker