Javier Mascherano fit for United clash - Alonso and Agger miss out

Dec 14 2007

Xabi Alonso and Daniel Agger will not be ready to return for Liverpool's clash with Manchester United, although Alonso could be back for next week’s Carling Cup trip to Chelsea.

But the Reds were boosted when Javier Mascherano trained normally yesterday after hobbling away from the Stade Velodrome on Tuesday night.

“Javier will be okay,” said boss Rafa Benitez. “He trained on Thursday and I am confident he will be ready.

“But I may make changes. We will see. After a performance like Tuesday sometimes you want to see the same players, but then you can see problems in training. But it’s too early to talk about this.”

Benitez was also keen to play down his imminent meeting with co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

“I don’t know exactly when it will be,” he said. “It will be some time around the weekend. But the most important thing will be the game against United.

“We have the same ideas. They want to win, I want to win, it’s just to find a solution to a misunderstanding.

“I have spoken to Foster (Gillett) since the Marseille game and I think the meeting will be a happy one.”

“I have said before I don’t have any problems with them.”