Liverpool Team News: Rodgers Offers Latest Including Update On Skrtel

Champions League football returns to Anfield tomorrow as Liverpool entertain Bulgarian minnows Ludogrets in their Group B opener.

Ahead of the game, boss Brendan Rodgers has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference and gave Liverpoolfc.com a team news and injury update.

The only significant piece of news concerns defender Martin Skrtel with Rodgers confirming the Slovakian will once again miss out with a knee injury.

The centre-back picked up the problem during the Reds loss to Manchester City last month and has subsequently missed the last two league games against Tottenham and Aston Villa.

However, the 29-year-old returned to training on Sunday and although the Ludogrets game will come too soon, he should be back in contention to face West Ham this weekend.

Otherwise, Rodgers has no fresh injury concerns to deal with so it will be very-much the same squad that faced Villa on Saturday. Here’s what the Northern Irishman told the clubs website:

“Martin has worked very hard. He joined the group yesterday, so he is working well.

“It’s probably too early for this game but after a good week’s training he should be ready for the West Ham.

“Apart from that, we’re pretty much the same in terms of injuries.”

With Skrtel still out, Mamadou Sakho is expected to continue alongside Dejan Lovren at the back. Liverpool go into the game missing a number of players with Glen Johnson, Emre Can, Joe Allen and Jon Flanagan joining Daniel Sturridge on the sidelines.