Benitez looks at internationals

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez will have to assess the fitness of two of his midweek World Cup play-off performers before deciding on the side to face Portsmouth in the Barclays Premiership at Anfield tomorrow.

John Arne Riise returned from Norway’s defeat by the Czech Republic with a gashed head, but he has trained with the Liverpool squad and could be fit but Harry Kewell – fresh from helping Australia reach the finals – was not due to arrive back from Sydney until this afternoon.

Luis Garcia, Xabi Alonso, Fernando Morientes and Jose Reina all returned to the club yesterday after helping Spain qualify for Germany and are expected to be fit.

Provisional squad: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Traore, Warnock, Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Sissoko, Hamann, Luis Garcia, Zenden, Morientes, Crouch, Cisse, Kewell, Carson, Sinama-Pongolle.