Fernando Torres could return from injury in Liverpool’s game at Blackburn on Saturday. In a match that will be captain Steven Gerrard’s 500th for the club, Liverpool could have their feared attacking partnership back together for the first time in 10 matches.

Torres is close to returning to full training after treatment for a serious groin injury and manager Rafael Benitez will give the striker every chance of taking on Blackburn, who beat Chelsea in the Carling Cup quarter-finals last night.

Torres has not figured since the Champions League clash with Lyon on November 4th following a problem sustained on international duty.

Benitez said: “The feedback we had about Torres yesterday was very positive and he was feeling good. We will see how he is in the next training sessions, but it seems as though

things are going well.”

Asked whether the Spain international could face Rovers, Benitez added: “It depends on how he feels during the week.

“He has to keep training with the fitness coach, but if he is feeling better maybe he can be involved in normal training sessions and afterwards we can decide.”

Benitez expects to have something close to a full squad of players to choose from for the clash with Sam Allardyce’s side.

He said: “We have two or three players with knocks, but hopefully they are small things. It is always very positive (to have a fully fit squad), but there is a big difference in players being available and being ready.

“When they are coming back from injuries you have to be careful, but at least we will have options we didn’t have before.”