Despite the absence of Daniel Agger, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers left'outstanding' Reds defender Martin Skrtel out of today's starting line-up.
The LFC twitter feed claims Skrtel misses out through 'illness', but if you believe that, you believe anything.
Joe Allen and Steven Gerrard repeatedly play with shoulder injuries but Skrtel is instantly out of the squad because he's ill?
The Slovakian doesn't look remotely ill during yesterday's training session:
Must be one of those debilitating illnesses that, in a matter or hours, strikes down an incredibly fit sportsman in the prime of his career to the extent that he's too sick to even make the bench :-)
On Saturday, the Reds boss hailed Skrtel as a 'great professional' with 'outstanding focus', and claimed that Liverpool have 'no plans to sell' the Slovakian. He told Sky Sports:
"It has been unfortunate for Martin but he has been a loyal member of the squad and is still very much part of my plans here. He's got a winning mentality. It's just unfortunate he lost his place.
"It wasn't so much through his form, it was just I felt we needed more of an organiser and a leader. He is certainly a player we want to keep and we have no ideas of selling him. He is an important member of our group".
FULL TEAM: Reina, Johnson, Downing, Wisdom, Coates, Carragher, Lucas, Henderson, Shelvey, Coutinho, Sturridge
SUBS: B Jones, Enrique, Assaidi, Borini, Suso, Coady, L Jones
I doubt we'll see a 352 as Coates and Wisdom are not used to it, and it would be strange to suddenly change the club's standard formation. We'll probably see the following:
------------------ Reina
Wisdom ------ Carra ---- Coates ----- Johnson
------------------ Lucas
---------- Shelvey ---- Henderson
Downing ----------------------- Coutinho
---------------- Sturridge
Predicting a 2-1 Liverpool defeat, Reds legend Mark Lawrenson told the BBC:
"I think it will be an open game, because neither side can really go anywhere - Fulham are not mathematically safe but they are not in any real danger. Liverpool are without Steven Gerrard after his shoulder injury and I think the Cottagers might just edge it".
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
The LFC twitter feed claims Skrtel misses out through 'illness', but if you believe that, you believe anything.
Joe Allen and Steven Gerrard repeatedly play with shoulder injuries but Skrtel is instantly out of the squad because he's ill?
The Slovakian doesn't look remotely ill during yesterday's training session:
Must be one of those debilitating illnesses that, in a matter or hours, strikes down an incredibly fit sportsman in the prime of his career to the extent that he's too sick to even make the bench :-)
On Saturday, the Reds boss hailed Skrtel as a 'great professional' with 'outstanding focus', and claimed that Liverpool have 'no plans to sell' the Slovakian. He told Sky Sports:
"It has been unfortunate for Martin but he has been a loyal member of the squad and is still very much part of my plans here. He's got a winning mentality. It's just unfortunate he lost his place.
"It wasn't so much through his form, it was just I felt we needed more of an organiser and a leader. He is certainly a player we want to keep and we have no ideas of selling him. He is an important member of our group".
FULL TEAM: Reina, Johnson, Downing, Wisdom, Coates, Carragher, Lucas, Henderson, Shelvey, Coutinho, Sturridge
SUBS: B Jones, Enrique, Assaidi, Borini, Suso, Coady, L Jones
I doubt we'll see a 352 as Coates and Wisdom are not used to it, and it would be strange to suddenly change the club's standard formation. We'll probably see the following:
------------------ Reina
Wisdom ------ Carra ---- Coates ----- Johnson
------------------ Lucas
---------- Shelvey ---- Henderson
Downing ----------------------- Coutinho
---------------- Sturridge
Predicting a 2-1 Liverpool defeat, Reds legend Mark Lawrenson told the BBC:
"I think it will be an open game, because neither side can really go anywhere - Fulham are not mathematically safe but they are not in any real danger. Liverpool are without Steven Gerrard after his shoulder injury and I think the Cottagers might just edge it".
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
