Gerrard set for Sissoko role

Mohamed Sissoko‘s three-month injury lay-off leaves Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez with a dilemma in central midfield against Arsenal on Sunday.

Sissoko will have an operation next week and his place looks certain to go to Steven Gerrard.

There is no obvious like-for-like replacement for Sissoko but the England man would be an ideal choice.

Provisional squad: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Luis Garcia, Alonso, Gerrard, Zenden, Kuyt, Crouch, Dudek, Warnock, Bellamy, Agger, Pennant, Gonzalez, Fowler, Paletta.