Chelsea and Liverpool's Champions League tough talk

Steven Gerrard is winning his battle to lead Liverpool into Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg at Chelsea. Gerrard was rested on Saturday by boss Rafael Benitez from the 4-0 win over Blackburn at Anfield after scans showed a recurrence of the Liverpool skipper's groin injury. But Benitez has confirmed that Gerrard is responding to treatment and will travel to London, with Liverpool 3-1 down from the first leg. Benitez said: "Steven is getting better, he has been working with the physio and will train later. We will then discuss the situation with the doctors, but Steven will travel with the party to London and I will make a decision." But it is becoming increasingly likely that Benitez will take the "calculated gamble" of using Gerrard from the start at Stamford Bridge. He said: "Obviously we do not want him to break down again, he could then be out for ten to 16 days. But the injury is not a massive one, it will be a calculated gamble to play him but one that I will consider." He added: "We are 3-1 down and we know that everything can change if we have Steven in the side and he plays well."

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ITN | April 13, 2009

Tags:. .physio. .anfield. .blackburn. .groin. .scans