After dropping tamely out of the Champions League on Tuesday night, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers will be looking for his side to bounce back in a big way when they face off against bitter rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford this weekend.
Both sides have been severely hampered by injuries this season, though the Reds certainly look worse for wear as they crane their neck up the table to see Louis van Gaal’s side sitting rather comfortably in third place. Although they’ll each be missing a number of high profile players on Sunday, the Anfield outfit have been given a bit of a boost in the fitness stakes with the news that Mario Balotelli, Kolo Toure and Adam Lallana will all be in contention for a spot in the match-day squad.
Despite being charged by the Football Association over his now infamous Super Mario post on Instagram, Rodgers has confirmed that Balotelli will be given every chance to feature for the Reds on Sunday. “He’s only just back into training, so it’s something we’ll assess. He’s been out for a little while now, but in the last couple of days he’s looked good in training” the Northern Irishman said in his pre-match press conference. “We’ll give him every chance to see if he can come into the squad.”
Along with the Italian striker, experienced defender Kolo Toure could also make his way back into the starting eleven after missing out on the defeat to FC Basel midweek with a groin strain. Adam Lallana, who was on the bench on Tuesday night after fracturing ribs in the win over Leicester City, will also be given a chance to prove his fitness. “He took a nasty injury in the game against Leicester and I didn’t mention it because I wanted to protect the player and make sure he wasn’t targeted in games” explained Rodgers. “He’s obviously had some work done since he’s been here and watching him in training, he’s been fine. He’s been available, but not fully fit. He looks much, much better now.”
