Rafa's line-ups for the 5 previous games GERRARD and TORRES have been out. PLUS CONFIRMED LINE-UP

With Gerrard and Torres out of today's game against Sunderland, Liverpool fans are waiting with bated-breath to see what team will be sent out by Rafa Benitez. As a comparison, Liverpool have been without their two star players five times in the past. How did the teams line-up in those games?

TOULOUSE: August 2007 (4-0 win)

-------------- Reina

Arbeloa -- Agger -- Hyypia -- Riise

Benayoun -- Sissoko -- Masch -- Leto

----------- Crouch -- Kuyt

CHELSEA: December 2007 (2-0 defeat)

-------------- Reina

Arbeloa -- Carra -- Hobbs -- Aurelio

--------- Alonso -- Sissoko

Voronin ------ Lucas ------- Babel

------------- Crouch

LUTON: Jan 2008 (1-1)

-------------- Reina

Finnan -- Carra -- Hyypia -- Riise

---------- Alonso --- Lucas

Kuyt ------ Benayoun ------ Babel

------------ Crouch

FULHAM: April 2008 (2-0 win)

-------------- Reina

Finnan -- Skrtel -- Hyypia -- Riise

Benayoun -- Masch -- Lucas -- Pennant

---------- Crouch -- Voronin

MANCHESTER UNITED: September 2008 (2-1 win)

-------------- Reina

Arbeloa -- Carra -- Skrtel -- Aurelio

---------- Alonso -- Masch

Kuyt ---------- Benayoun ------- Riera

---------------- Keane

The Chelsea defeat aside, Benitez hasn't gone particularly defensive when Gerrard and Torres have both been missing. I have a feeling, however, that today he will go more defensive that usual, as the game is basically must-win for the club. As such, we could see a Line-up similar to the one that started the 3-2 away victory over Portsmouth last season (*shudder*):

--------------- Reina

----- Skrtel -- Carra --- Agger

Arbeloa --- Masch -- Aurelio --- Dossena

--- Babel ----- N'gog----- Benayoun

I doubt we'll see that, so I predict one of the following three line-ups:

LINEUP 1

--------------- Reina

Johnson --- Carra -- Skrtel --- Insua

---------- Lucas --- Aurelio (if Masch isn't fit)

Babel ---------- Benayoun ------- Riera

---------------- Kuyt

LINEUP 2

--------------- Reina

Johnson --- Carra -- Skrtel --- Aurelio

---------- Lucas --- Masch (if Masch is fit)

Babel ---------- Benayoun ------- Riera

---------------- Kuyt

LINEUP 3

--------------- Reina

Johnson --- Carra -- Skrtel --- Aurelio

---------- Masch --- Lucas

Kuyt-------- Benayoun ------- Riera

---------------- N'Gog

My preference is for line-up 2. And as I argued in my previous article, Liverpool should be fine without Gerrard and Torres.

EDIT: 2.40 PM - Confirmed Line-up

----------- Reina

Carra ----- Agger -- Skrtel

Johnson --- Lucas -- Spearing -- Aurelio

Benayoun ------ Kuyt -------- Babel

That is how I think the team will line up - a very similar formation (possibly) to the Portsmouth game last season. Looks pretty defensive to me, with 7 (ostensibly) defensive outfield players.

The team could also line-up like this:

----------- Reina

Johnson -- Agger -- Skrtel --- Carra

Spearing -- Lucas --- Aurelio

Benayoun ------ Kuyt -------- Babel

I'm going for a draw.

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