Liverpool without duo

Liverpool will again be without striker Robbie Fowler (knee) and defender Fabio Aurelio (calf) when they face Chelsea in Sunday’s Community Shield clash in Cardiff.

Boss Rafael Benitez said: “If they really had to play they would, but it is not important for this game, we would rather wait until next weekend.”

It means Benitez has to make a decision over whether to start the match with Peter Crouch, who was on the bench for the midweek Champions League qualifying game with Maccabi Haifa because he was not considered fit enough after a late return to training following the World Cup.

Provisional squad: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Luis Garcia, Gerrard, Alonso, Sissoko, Pennant, Bellamy, Zenden, Crouch, Dudek, Paletta, Gonzalez, Kromkamp, Agger, Warnock, Sinama-Pongolle, Peltier.