Benitez to rest key players for Champions League showdown

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez will rest a string of senior stars at Portsmouth tomorrow ahead of next Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Chelsea.

Captain Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and goalkeeper Jose Reina did not even make the trip to the south coast and it is unlikely Xabi Alonso or Daniel Agger will figure in the side, although Benitez was being cagey about his exact squad today.

It means Jerzy Dudek, Robbie Fowler and Bolo Zenden - all out of contract in the summer - will play. Steve Finnan is still out with a neck injury.

Provisional squad: Dudek, Arbeloa, Paletta, Hyypia, Riise, Zenden, Sissoko, Mascherano, Pennant, Bellamy, Kuyt, Fowler, Crouch, Padelli, Gonzalez, Anderson, Alonso, Agger.