Rodgers laments injury list for high-stakes derby

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits weakened teams on both sides may well make it difficult for the 222nd Merseyside derby to match this season’s earlier encounter at Goodison Park.

The Reds are missing defenders Daniel Agger, Mamadou Sakho, Glen Johnson, Jose Enrique and midfielder Lucas Leiva while Everton could have up to nine players missing at Anfield tonight.

Rodgers is hopeful Joe Allen will be sufficiently recovered from a hamstring problem to bolster the midfield but if they are to reproduce another exciting 3-3 draw like the one back in November it may be as a result of mistakes from patched-up teams.

“We need to see with Joe,” Rodgers said. “He was on the training field today but it is a case of assessing as to whether it will push him too much for this game because we don’t want another injury in a key area.

“We have to think not only for tomorrow night but for the next few weeks.

“It is unfortunate both teams are coming into the game with not the strongest squads because both have picked up injuries.”

Victory over Everton would put four points between the fourth-placed Reds and their near-neighbours while defeat would see them concede superiority in the table and be another dent to their Champions League hopes.

“It is a very important game as a victory puts us four points clear.

“I have great confidence in the team of players and for us the key is Champions League qualification.”

Meanwhile, managing director Ian Ayre insists Liverpool will not pay over the odds on inflated transfer fees but claims they can compete when the right player is available.

Last week Egypt international Mohamed Salah, tracked for several months by the Reds and considered their primary January target, opted for a move to Chelsea after the Stamford Bridge side reportedly offered more money both in terms of transfer fee and wages.

“We haven’t been held back from completing a deal, the player has decided he doesn’t want to come to Liverpool,” said the managing director as he announced a deal with Garuda Indonesia, who two years ago became the club’s global official airline, as their first official training kit sponsor.

“We will always compete and know the value of a player and how far we are prepared to go.

“There is no one not here because we didn’t do what we needed to do.

“We will win some and lose some, that is the case in every transfer window.”