Carroll weeks away from fitness

Liverpool’s club-record signing Andy Carroll is still recovering from a thigh injury and is not in contention to face Stoke at Anfield tomorrow.

The £35m deadline-day signing is likely to be out for the foreseeable future, with Newcastle manager Alan Pardew today claiming he thought the player was “four to five weeks” away from fitness.

Liverpool are still awaiting international clearance and a work permit for their other big signing Luis Suarez, who completed a £22.8m deal from Ajax yesterday. If that comes through in time, the Uruguay international could possibly play a part.

With Fernando Torres having joined Chelsea either Dirk Kuyt or David Ngog may be given the striker’s role.

Vice-captain Jamie Carragher is also in contention for a return to the squad having recovered from an operation on a shoulder he dislocated on November 28 in the defeat at Tottenham.

Provisional squad: Reina, Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson, Lucas, Gerrard, Kuyt, Meireles, Rodriguez, Ngog, Gulacsi, Carragher, Aurelio, Poulsen, Shelvey, Cole, Suarez, Pacheco.