It is frustrating timing for Insua, with the 19-year-old having impressed during four consecutive first-team starts over the festive period.

While Fabio Aurelio has returned to fitness after making a substitute appearance in Saturday’s FA Cup win at Preston North End, Insua’s absence means Andrea Dossena is Liverpool’s only other senior left-back.

Dossena has struggled to acclimatise to English football since his summer £7m move from Udinese.

But Liverpool manager Benitez said: “I am not considering selling Dossena. I think it is important to keep the squad together.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool will discover more about the extent of Xabi Alonso’s injury when the Spaniard returns to Melwood this morning.

Alonso failed to reappear for the second half of Saturday’s 2-0 FA Cup win at Preston North End after requiring seven stitches in a foot injury after colliding with a Preston defender.

Benitez selected a near full-strength outfit for the game at Deepdale, and Jamie Carragher believes it was a sign of how determined Liverpool are to progress in a competition in which they have underwhelmed at times in recent seasons.

“I was probably surprised a little bit that the team was probably our strongest outfield side at the moment,” said Carragher.

“It isn’t that we haven’t taken it seriously in the past, but we have had our fingers burnt in the past.

“I think we have a bit of momentum at the moment, everyone’s confidence is up and you don’t want that to end,” he added.

“You don’t want to take a chance and slip up and then you get negative publicity and lose a bit of confidence.

“We wanted to keep the run going.

“The league and Champions League are very important obviously but we all want to give 100% in the FA Cup and the team we put out shows that.”