Gerrard set to feature for Reds

Apr 13 2009

Steven Gerrard is winning his battle to lead Liverpool into Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg at Chelsea.

Gerrard was rested on Saturday by boss Rafael Benitez for the 4-0 win over Blackburn at Anfield following scans that showed a recurrence of the Liverpool skipper's groin injury.

But Benitez on Monday confirmed that Gerrard was responding to treatment, claiming: "Steven is getting better, he has been working with the physio and will train later."

He added: "We will then discuss the situation with the doctors, but Steven will travel with the party to London and I will make a decision tomorrow (Tuesday)."

It is becoming increasingly likely that Benitez will take the "calculated gamble" of using Gerrard from the start at Stamford Bridge.

He said: "Obviously we do not want him to break down again, he could then be out for 10 to 16 days. But the injury is not a massive one, it will be a calculated gamble to play him but one that I will consider.

"We are 3-1 down and we know that everything can change if we have Steven in the side and he plays well."

"The experience of Istanbul will help us, it shows you can come back from a big score. And it is important to realise that Bolton scored three there on Saturday, anything can happen.

"We have already won at Stamford Bridge this season. We ended their long unbeaten home record and that is a massive boost to our confidence.

"We can do it, if we work together and we score in the first half. If we do not do that it becomes increasingly more difficult, mentally. If we score a second goal then they will be under real pressure. But we know we must be almost perfect."