“Time will tell” extent of Jordan Henderson injury, says Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that Jordan Henderson has returned to first-team training after treatment for a heel injury this week.

Jordan Henderson returned to first-team training on Friday, Brendan Rodgers has confirmed, but the manager says “time will tell” if the Liverpool captain’s heel injury is a long-term issue.

Henderson travelled to New Jersey this week to undergo treatment for an ongoing issue which has seen him miss Liverpool’s last three fixtures.

Despite fears that this could sideline him for a long period, the 25-year-old returned to full training on his return.

The former Sunderland man could even feature against Norwich City on Sunday.

“Jordan will train today, so we’ll see how he comes through that,” Rodgers told reporters ahead of the upcoming Anfield clash.

“He’s obviously been away and had some work done on his foot, so hopefully all will be well with that and we’ll assess that in 48 hours.”

Discussing the extent of his injury, Rodgers highlighted Henderson’s frustration.

“Time will tell [whether it is a long-term issue],” he explained.

“It was obviously frustrating for him—he’s never missed this length of time out [and] he’s been champing at the bit to get playing again.

“Now we’ll see on his return how [the treatment] has gone.”

Rodgers confirmed that star striker Daniel Sturridge will also be assessed ahead of Sunday’s game, while the manager praised another returning first-team player in Adam Lallana.

Lallana started in Thursday night’s 1-1 draw away to Bordeaux in the Europa League, scoring the opener, and Rodgers believes there is more to come from the midfielder.

“The only negative on his time here has been the injuries,” he said.

“The performances when he’s been on the field, he’s been excellent.

“If he’s playing consistently Adam will reach the numbers that we require from him.

“His goal last night will be great for his confidence…it shows that he’s got his eye back in early, and he can push on now hopefully.”

Rodgers also confirmed that Joe Allen is also back after a long layoff, while Kolo Toure will be monitored after sustaining a leg injury against Bordeaux.

• Read more: Brendan Rodgers anticipates Daniel Sturridge-Christian Benteke partnership

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Predicting Liverpool vs. Norwich and other key Premier League fixtures this weekend

With the next batch of Premier League fixtures fast approaching, Henry Jackson predicts the outcome of three upcoming matches.

Liverpool’s next league outing cannot come soon enough, as they look to banish the horrid memory of last Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Man United.

Brendan Rodgers and his side will be desperate to bounce back at home to Norwich City on Sunday, with more dropped points bordering on unthinkable.

Thursday’s 1-1 draw at Bordeaux in the Europa League, though played with glimpses of promise, will have done little to reduce the pressure.

There are a number of standout fixtures in the so-called ‘best league in the world’ in the coming days; here we predict how three will pan out.

Liverpool vs Norwich (Sunday, 4pm)

The wave of negativity spreading across Liverpool fans at the moment is pretty bleak, with Rodgers now under real threat of losing his job in the near future.

The performance at Old Trafford was simply not good enough, and a huge response is needed when Alex Neil’s Norwich side visit Anfield.

The Canaries are fresh off the back of a resounding 3-1 win at home to fellow promoted side Bournemouth, and their exciting brand of football has the ability to cause an upset on Merseyside.

Wes Hoolahan is a hugely underrated footballer, and very much Norwich’s version of David Silva. The 33-year-old’s creativity and eye for goal make him a real threat.

Cameron Jerome is a striker who, despite being a little erratic, has the pace and power to cause Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel real problems throughout.

The return of Philippe Coutinho will act as a huge boost for the Reds, and his influence in attacking midfield should give the team are a far better look to it.

It will be a tough afternoon for Rodgers and his side against a talented unit, but they will overcome a few scares to earn all three points.

Prediction: HOME WIN

Chelsea vs Arsenal (Saturday, 12:45pm)

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This is the standout game of the weekend without doubt, and will be a big test of where both Chelsea and Arsenal are at this season.

The Blues have endured a miserable start to the campaign, winning just one of their first five matches, and their title bid already looks in tatters.

The likes of Branislav Ivanovic, Nemanja Matic, Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard and Diego Costa are all out of form, and Jose Mourinho’s side look leggy and lacking focus.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have recovered well from their opening day loss at home to West Ham, earning 10 points from their four games since.

The Gunners have quietly gone about their business in many ways, although the form of Francis Coquelin, Laurent Koscielny and Mesut Ozil has been eye-catching.

Theo Walcott is doing his best to convince Arsene Wenger that he should now be first-choice in a central striker role, and his speed and movement could be a great outlet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunchtime.

Wenger is still waiting for his first ever win over Mourinho, and this weekend could be his best ever chance to achieve that.

Chelsea look vulnerable to say the least, but while the hosts won’t win the game, the Gunners will miss the chance to really stick the boot into their rivals.

Prediction: SCORE DRAW

Swansea vs Everton (Saturday, 3pm)

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This could be an intriguing match-up between two of the Premier League’s most in-form teams.

Swansea’s 1-0 loss at 10-man Watford last Saturday was a blow, but four points against Chelsea and United have shown how formidable they can be.

Former Red Jonjo Shelvey is enjoying some excellent form with the Welsh outfit, while Andre Ayew and Bafetimbi Gomis have started the season in inspired goalscoring form.

Everton were hugely impressive in their 3-1 win over Chelsea at Goodison Park last weekend, with Steven Naismith’s hat-trick showcasing what an effective player he can be.

John Stones continues to look a future world-beater at centre-back, while the balance Gareth Barry and James McCarthy gives the side is brilliantly understated. Romelu Lukaku is always a threat in attack too.

The Liberty Stadium is becoming one of the toughest grounds to visit in the league, and despite their impressive form, Everton will be another side to feel the wrath of Garry Monk’s team there.

Prediction: HOME WIN

Elsewhere: Aston Villa vs. West Brom, Bournemouth vs Sunderland, Newcastle Utd vs. Watford, Stoke City vs. Leicester City (Saturday 3pm), Man City vs West Ham (5.30pm), Tottenham vs. Crystal Palace (Sunday 1.30pm), Southampton vs. Man Utd (4pm).

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Brendan Rodgers anticipates Daniel Sturridge-Christian Benteke partnership

Ahead of Sunday’s clash with Norwich City, Brendan Rodgers has discussed the virtues of partnering Christian Benteke with Daniel Sturridge.

Brendan Rodgers is looking forward to partnering Christian Benteke with returning striker Daniel Sturridge, but the Liverpool manager remains guarded as to a change in formation.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Norwich City at Anfield, Rodgers discussed his side’s lack of attacking strength, saying the Reds need to return to the “risk-taking” approach that has plagued the Canaries in the past.

“For some reason that wee bit of risk has come out of our game,” he told reporters.

“We’ve missed a lot of goals and creativity in our team…but that’s something the players have been working really hard at.

“It only takes that one performance to spin the season around again.”

Rodgers stressed the importance of a clutch of key players returning to the first-team fold, with Sturridge perhaps the key absentee so far this season – the England forward will be assessed ahead of Sunday’s game and could be back in the squad for the first time since April.

Asked whether he would consider pairing Benteke and Sturridge, Rodgers said “we’ve been waiting for that.”

“On his game [Sturridge is] one of the best that there is,” he continued.

“For him it’s just about getting himself back in and playing and obviously getting the goals.

“When he can stretch teams like he can with his pace, and you put Christian beside him and Coutinho behind that or beside him, it’s a really exciting dynamic.

“We’ve been waiting for that for quite a period of time.”

However, when asked whether this would mean a switch to a two-striker system, as opposed to the 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formations that Liverpool have utilised in the league so far, Rodgers remained cautious.

“When I play the striker off the side he’s never really and out-and-out winger, he’ll always be off the inside,” he explained.

“Danny [Ings] we had in the team against [Manchester] United just off the inside and he worked tirelessly in the game.”

However, he conceded: “[Playing two strikers] is something we’ll look up.”

“Whatever the system we know that we need to create and score more goals,” he continued.

“However that balance is, that’s something we’re looking to improve on.”

Pairing Benteke with Sturridge would arguably solve many of Liverpool’s attacking problems, with the 26-year-old’s pace and dynamic movement complementing Benteke’s strength and power.

Whether Rodgers adjusts his tactics to accommodate the pairing remains to be seen.

• Read more: Why 3-4-2-1 Gets the Best Out of Liverpool’s Best Players

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Liverpool vs. Norwich – Will 3 at the back continue? Does Sakho keep his place?

Liverpool return to Premier League action at Anfield on Sunday afternoon when they host Alex Neil’s Norwich City. Ben Twelves discusses the team selection options ahead of the fixture.

LIVERPOOL vs. NORWICH
Sunday, 20th September 2015 (4pm)
Premier League

After their 1-1 Europa League draw in France, Brendan Rodgers’ Reds return to Anfield for a vitally important Premier League clash against newly promoted Norwich.

Despite being only the Reds’ sixth league game of the season, the match carries an extra significance for Rodgers and his squad following poor successive league defeats, and with pressure increasing on the Reds manager, maximum points really is a minimum requirement from Sunday’s encounter.

Norwich have had a miserable recent time at Anfield losing 5-0 and 5-1 on their last two visits to Merseyside and the Reds – who have won seven of the last eight games between the two sides – must make it another unhappy trip to L4 for the Canaries in order to get their league form back on track after an originally encouraging start transformed into a wholly unimpressive one.

Rodgers’ side will need to find some improved attacking threat and goal-scoring form for that to happen – only bottom-of-the-table Newcastle have scored fewer goals than Liverpool who have found the net five times less than Norwich – and with the need for three points vital with extremely testing fixtures looming, it must materialise instantly against Neil’s men.

Team News

Jordan Henderson is battling to be fit for the clash after returning from America where he underwent specialist treatment on his persistent heel injury, but the game could see a welcome return to match-day involvement for Daniel Sturridge.

Rodgers rested a number of first choice picks for Thursday’s Bordeaux draw but with a number of impressive displays from fringe and young players in the European opener, the Reds boss must think long and hard before deciding to recall those left out for the visit of the Carrow Road outfit.

If Rodgers sticks to the original plan, Nathaniel Clyne, Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren are set to re-form three-quarters of Liverpool’s defence, while Lucas Leiva and James Milner appear certain to return to the midfield shape up with Christian Benteke resuming his striking role.

But the impressive performances of defensive duo Mamadou Sakho and Alberto Moreno, as well as Jordan Rossiter in midfield, give the manager a far from straightforward selection and the trio will all be hopeful of keeping their places in the starting XI.

Emre Can will also hope to continue his promising start to the season in midfield, and Philippe Coutinho’s availability makes him one of those certain to feature at the weekend, while Adam Lallana will be looking to build on his goal-scoring performance.

Roberto Firmino was unused in midweek and could come back in at Anfield where Danny Ings and Divock Origi will be hopeful of minutes at some stage after Thursday’s action.

Starting XI

Rodgers faces a really tough decision over his starting team for a game of real importance and he has a number of options to choose from.

The Liverpool boss redeployed the 3-4-2-1 formation in Bordeaux, and with a decent result coming from a youthful team, the Northern Irishman could stick with the shape.

Within that, Lovren and Skrtel should be joined by Sakho after a solid display as skipper in his home country, and Moreno should keep his shirt at left wing-back with Clyne coming back into the side, replacing the struggling Jordon Ibe on the right.

Lucas and Milner will form the midfield having been left at home for that reason, and the experienced pair could play behind Coutinho and the rested Firmino, who would operate in support of fit and fresh Benteke.

Should Rodgers stick with the same shape, the changes of personnel could see the Reds line up like so on Sunday afternoon:

Alternatively, the Liverpool leader could scrap using the system and stick to his favoured 4-3-3 set-up in a game his side must attack head-on.

Difficult decisions would arise over who features centrally in the back four, but Sakho’s leading performance means he must play alongside Skrtel, with Clyne and Gomez filling the full-back positions.

With Lucas rested, seemingly as Henderson won’t be fit to play, the Brazilian would continue to anchor in holding midfield behind Milner who should be partnered by Coutinho to allow an extra attacking option to feature.

That man should be Lallana after his goal in midweek, and Firmino should certainly enter after watching only on Thursday night, with the pair playing in support of Benteke.

In a 4-3-3 system and with the changes to the starting team, Liverpool could look like this come 4pm kick-off time at Anfield:

The Premier League season may only be five games old and it may be too early to label games as “must win”, but the pressure and significance of Sunday’s clash makes it the closest you will find to a game of that stature.

Rodgers and his squad simply must make it happen.

Our Prediction

A 1-0 victory for Liverpool to give Brendan Rodgers some breathing space after so much recent pressure.

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Norwich boss Alex Neil backs Brendan Rodgers

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers deserves time to fix the problems at Anfield, according to Norwich manager Alex Neil.

Norwich visit Liverpool on Sunday hoping to extend an uncertain start to the campaign for the Reds, who have managed one point and a single goal in their last three games.

Poor performances mean Rodgers is already under pressure this season but Neil dismissed suggestions Liverpool are there for the taking this weekend.

“Brendan Rodgers has proved himself a manager, there’s no question about that,” Neil said.

“He nearly won the league with Liverpool. Who am I to comment on Brendan Rodgers? He’s done fantastically well as a manager in his career.

“People always say it’s a good time to play them, we’ll just look at what we do and see where it takes us.

“I don’t buy this, ‘Liverpool are in crisis’. Liverpool have got good players, they’re well managed and they’ll be a danger to any team in the league.

“It’s something all teams go through when they’re really good and then when they don’t perform as well as they should do.

“Players aren’t robots, maybe the combinations in the team aren’t functioning as well as they can or there may just be a loss of form in the group.”

Norwich are currently level with Liverpool on seven points following an encouraging start to their battle for Barclays Premier League survival.

Wins against Sunderland and Bournemouth, as well a draw against Stoke, mean the Canaries sit ninth in the table ahead of their trip to Anfield.

“Our away record has been really good because we’ve gone with a method to win the game,” Neil said.

“Every game has been different. Sometimes we’ve been very aggressive from the start, sometimes we play on the counter-attack.

“We’ve got a plan which we worked on today in training and hopefully that gives us the best chance of coming away on Sunday with some points.”

Norwich defender Andre Wisdom, on loan from Liverpool, is ineligible and Gary Hooper is out with an ankle injury but Lewis Grabban has returned to training and is available.

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Jordan Rossiter eyes more Liverpool first-team games after impressive European bow

Liverpool midfielder Jordan Rossiter enjoyed an impressive Europa League debut which offered both him and the club great hope for the future.

The 18-year-old, who scored within 10 minutes of making his bow for the club in the League Cup last season, put in a composed performance in his first European outing which saw the Reds draw 1-1 in Bordeaux.

For over an hour he played alongside fellow academy graduate Pedro Chirivella, who made an earlier-than-expected first-team bow after injury to Kolo Toure, and by the second half the pair looked as comfortable as they did playing in the under-21s together.

Local-born Rossiter's rise through the ranks has accelerated over the last year and he is keen to seize the opportunity offered by Brendan Rodgers, who is likely to use him again for next week's Capital One Cup visit of Carlisle and also in forthcoming European fixtures.

"It was a tough test and I really enjoyed my European debut," he said.

"I loved it out there. I've been working most of my time at the academy to try to push into the first team and I got my chance. Hopefully it comes again.

"Young players want to do well and we want to go that extra mile.

"I've played with Pedro for two or three years now so I know how he plays and he knows how I play and I thought he did very well – the same with Cam (Cameron Brannagan, another academy product given a late debut) when he came on.

"To be honest I was a little bit nervous when I found out I was starting a few days ago but you just have to go out there and enjoy it and try your best – that is all you can do.

"I had to come off with a bit of cramp, which I'm disappointed about, but the manager said, 'great experience' and I can only take that forward and hopefully get better.

"I was just disappointed we couldn't get the win but I think a point away from home is good.

"We have three home games left and if we get three wins from them it will be good for us."

Although still a teenager, Rossiter has been around long enough to know he is unlikely to keep the likes of James Milner and Lucas Leiva – among six first-teamers left at home – out of the side for Sunday's visit of Norwich but that has not dimmed his ambition.

"I'm not going to get carried away with the performance, I know there are a lot of players to come back and I am still only young," he added.

"I've just need to keep improving and if I get my chance again take it."

The only downside was his family could not join him at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeux and had to watch his European debut on television.

"With work commitments they couldn't get over but they are all made up for me," he said.

"When my dad and family used to take me to football throughout the years it is all for moments like this."

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Pedro Chirivella’s Liverpool debut against Bordeaux was a “dream come true”

Youngster Pedro Chirivella says it was a “dream come true” to make his first appearance for Liverpool’s first team on Thursday night.

Brendan Rodgers gave several young prospects opportunities in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw at Bordeaux in the Europa League.

Making an earlier-than-expected first-team bow after injury to Kolo Toure, he played for over an hour alongside fellow academy graduate Jordan Rossiter and by the second half the pair looked as comfortable as they did playing in the under-21s together.

After Toure’s withdrawal from the game, the average age of Liverpool’s team was just 21.7.

Chirivella, 18, who arrived at the club's Kirkby academy from Valencia, is now looking to build on his first appearance.

"It was a dream come true. The manager said to keep calm, play my game," he said.

"Obviously with your first game you have nerves but I did well at the end.

"I know Jordan from two years ago. We've played a lot together and we understand each other. It was very good to play with him.

"Hopefully this will be the start of a big career for me at Liverpool.

"Liverpool are a team who always give chances to young players and I think it was a good example (on Thursday)."

Rodgers now has big selection and tactical decisions to make ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Norwich City at Anfield.

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