Liverpool fear Torres could now miss Merseyside derby
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Liverpool fear Fernando Torres could now miss Merseyside derby due to extended hernia treatment
Liverpool are bracing themselves for yet more devastating news as Fernando Torres yesterday began his bid to avoid surgery on his abdominal injury.
The Anfield striker is faced with a three week stint of treatment and therapy to overcome the pain and restriction of the 'sportsman's hernia', which he has endured for the past month.
Boss Rafa Benitez is still hopeful the treatment will be a successful way of negating the need for an operation, which would sideline Torres for at least a month, and could require up to three months on the injured list.
But there was a resignation within Anfield yesterday that the rest cure will mean the striker now looks set to miss not only the huge Premier League showdown with Manchester City and crucial Champions' League trip to Debrecen, but also possibly the Merseyside derby in three weeks' time.
Liverpool were hoping that Torres could play against Birmingham last Monday night and then begin his treatment programme, but the Spanish forward complained of feeling discomfort, and was forced to rest.
This week though, he has been able, belatedly, to begin the rehabilitation plan which experts have suggested might cure the problem, which is a tear where the abdominal muscles meet the pubic bone.
Benitez is praying that Torres might reduce the treatment time to just over a fortnight, but that would now still make him touch and go for the Everton game, which is on November 28.
The manager though, remains hopeful that the rehabilitation will be quicker than expected, and allow the player to avoid surgery.
"With Fernando Torres we are now talking about two or three weeks of treatment and working with the physios," he explained.
"Hopefully he can be running in a few days and we will see how he progresses."
Benitez has become increasingly concerned about the injury woes that have struck his side this season, with the low point coming in Lyon when he travelled without 14 members of his first team squad.
He has called summit meetings with the club's medical staff to see if there is anything he can do to reduce the number of injuries.
The Spanish coach is concerned that many of his players, such as Torres, Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Yossi Benayoun have suffered muscle injuries, and now he will conduct a far-reaching enquiry to see if training or treatment methods are contributing to the problem.