Liverpool Team News: Rodgers Offers Update On Balotelli & Sakho Ahead Of Basel

Liverpool welcome Swiss champions FC Basel to Anfield on Tuesday night knowing nothing but victory will do to ensure they qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

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

Unfortunately, the Reds boss revealed that none of the clubs current injury victims are likely to return to the squad for tomorrow’s crucial clash and he’ll have a similar squad to choose from that drew with Sunderland on Saturday.

Rodgers told Liverpoolfc.com:

I very much doubt any of the players that weren’t available at the weekend will be ready.

It means that Mario Balotelli is unlikely to recover in time to return to the squad with the striker still nursing a groin injury that’s already seen him miss the last five game having picked up the problem while away with the Italian national team in mid-November.

With Daniel Sturridge in America continuing his rehabilitation from a niggling thigh injury, it means Rickie Lambert will once again have to lead the line up front.

Rodgers admission also means that Mamadou Sakho is set to miss out once again as he looks to regain his match fitness after several weeks on the sidelines with a thigh strain.

Therefore, Kolo Toure is favourite to keep his place alongside Martin Skrtel at the back with summer signing Dejan Lovren expected to be among the substitutes for the fifth consecutive match.

Liverpool go into the game knowing they must win in order to secure qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League, with Basel currently holding a two-point lead over the Merseysiders after the first five group games.