Gerrard & Torres could play tonight for Liverpool

Rafa Benitez will hope to field his star pairing of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres for the first game in more than a month tonight when Birmingham visit Anfield, and the Spaniard is adamant that he is not rushing either of them back too quickly. With an international break for the World Cup qualifying play-offs meaning there is no Premier League football for the next twelve days, and with both players apparently out of friendly games for their national sides, Benitez feels emboldened to use them both in some way in what could be a confidence-building match.

"Gerrard has lost part of his fitness and when a player is available but has been injured for one month you would not say he is ready to play," Benitez told the Daily Telegraph. "We will see if he can train with the team, can be on the bench or can play. We know he will not be fully fit. With Torres, we know 100 per cent that it is not a problem to play him. The doctor and the physios have explained all of the different scenarios. He is feeling better than before so he can carry on [playing] with the pain. It is a question of whether he will be fully fit but the decision is not a risk."

Liverpool will be without defenders Jamie Carragher and Philipp Degen, who were both sent off during last weekend's dismal 3-1 defeat at the hands of Fulham, but the good news for Benitez is that he is likely to welcome back Glen Johnson, Martin Skrtel and Fabio Aurelio - essentially three-quarters of his first choice defence. There could be a home debut for Alberto Aquilani too, with the Italian set to be named on the bench as he gradually plays his way to full fitness. A likely starter tonight is Yossi Benayoun, who will record his 100th Premier League start and has been challenged by his manager to become an Anfield great.

"Yossi is a key player for us," Benitez told the Liverpool Echo. "There was a time before when people had some doubts about him but we knew he always had quality. We knew he could have an influence and change a game. He is intelligent and players don't know what he is going to do the next time he gets the ball. That's a big difference and when you don't have Steven on the pitch, it’s important we have Yossi and we hope he will keep doing that in this game." Benayoun helped set up Fernando Torres in the 2-0 defeat of Manchester United and recorded a hat-trick against Burnley earlier this season. ·