Morientes injury provides fresh opportunity for unhappy Cisse

Liverpool’s failure to re-sign Michael Owen has come back to haunt them with Fernando Morientes now facing several weeks on the sidelines.

The Spaniard's injury, which the Reds claim is a hamstring problem, puts a disgruntled Djibril Cisse firmly in the spotlight.

Cisse complained he was being touted around Europe in the transfer window, but manager Rafael Benitez dismissed those suggestions and now clearly expects him to knuckle down as Liverpool's injury crisis worsens.

Benitez said: "Cisse knows what he has to do for us, work hard, try to score goals and stay fit all season. And not to let other things distract him.

"The rumours about Cisse were already going around long before we beat CSKA Moscow in the Super Cup last week, and he still managed to score two goals for us that night."

Now Cisse will get his chance to play as Liverpool's main front man, probably alongside Peter Crouch, ironically the partnership which has so far this term looked Liverpool's most productive.

The ex-Southampton man's height and awkwardness complemented the pace and movement of Cisse.

Morientes, whose form has been patchy to say the least this term, has missed Spain's World Cup game with Serbia and Montenegro this week and is out of Liverpool's trip to Tottenham on Saturday their first Premiership game in three weeks.

Liverpool insist his injury is a hamstring problem, not a thigh strain, and are awaiting scan reports.

A hamstring strain can take a minimum of three weeks to clear up while a tear will put a player on the sick list for as much as six weeks.

Whatever the final report says, and that is not expected until tomorrow, Morientes faces a long spell out, opening the door for Cisse.

It is anything but ideal for Benitez, who during the summer transfer window made some dramatic decisions about his strike force that have already been compromised by Morientes' injury in training with the Spanish national team this week.

Benitez sold last season's top scorer Milan Baros to Aston Villa, sent youngster Anthony Le Tallec out on a season-long loan to Sunderland that cannot be reversed, and then failed in his bid to bring Owen back to Anfield when Newcastle's club-record bid blew Liverpool out of the transfer negotiations.

New striker Crouch, a £7million (€10.3m) signing from Southampton, is at last available again after a hamstring injury and suspension ruled him out of the opening games of the season, but although he will be in the squad at Spurs he is hardly match-fit.

Neil Mellor, a target for Sheffield United before the transfer window shut, is still recovering from a shin operation, while Harry Kewell is likewise not back to fitness after two summer operations on his groin.

Florent Sinama-Pongolle has only just returned to action following his broken leg suffered last February in the Carling Cup at Spurs.

This brings Cisse firmly into the equation. He injured an ankle for France in the win over the Faroe Islands at the weekend but will be centre stage at Anfield in the coming weeks.