LIVERPOOL will decide today whether to risk Steven Gerrard in their pivotal showdown with Manchester United this weekend.

The Anfield skipper will undergo a fitness assessment on the groin problem he aggravated during the Champions League defeat to Lyon on Tuesday.

But while there is only an outside chance Gerrard will have recovered in time for Sunday, Liverpool are increasingly confident Fernando Torres will be available.

The striker is responding well to treatment on the adductor injury that has ruled him out of the last two games.

And Glen Johnson should also play having returned to training yesterday following his own groin problem, that forced him out of the 2-1 Lyon loss.

However, Johnson’s replacement in midweek, Martin Kelly, is out after hurting his ankle when colliding with the goalpost while trying to keep out Lyon’s equaliser on Tuesday, with Albert Riera also sidelined.

Alberto Aquilani will also not be considered, but took a significant step towards a belated Liverpool debut with a 15-minute run-out for the reserves on Wednesday night.

It was the midfielder’s first action since his £20million arrival from Roma in the summer, with his last senior appearance coming in the Serie A side’s Champions League tie against Arsenal in March.

And Aquilani said: "I am happy to have made my debut.

"It’s been a very long time since I last played.

"Although I only played for 15 minutes, it is good for me and my fitness. I know I am not fully fit yet, but I hope to be soon.

"Of course, I cannot wait to make my debut for the first team now. Like every other player, I want to be playing, but the important thing for me now is to keep improving my fitness.

"I don’t want to stop now - I want to carry on working hard and improving for a long time.

"I have signed for Liverpool for five years and I want to play here for at least five years."