NEW year, same old story. It’s Fernando Torres who conjures up the late finish to beat Aston Villa and it’s Steven Gerrard who rescues Liverpool from potential FA Cup embarrassment at Reading.

But one year does make a big difference. This time 12 months ago, Liverpool’s two main match-winners were about to embark on a second half of the season in which they – and as a result the team – were unstoppable.

This time round I fear things could be very different.

There’s no doubting Torres and Gerrard are world class when on top of their games and fully fit – but the problem is, I don’t think either player is at the moment.

Both seem to me to still be playing with the niggling injuries that have already limited their impact this season and it presents Rafael Benitez with a real quandary as he faces the second half of the season.

Short term, he can’t afford to be without his deadly duo if he is going to deliver on his ‘guarantee’ to finish fourth. He simply hasn’t got the strength in depth to cope with them being out of the side for any length of time.

But look at the case of Torres. If he had gone in for his operation than he would be clear now. With a hernia, it’s not going to go away and I can’t help thinking that he is in some discomfort every time he goes out on the field.

Going under the knife would have taken that away – but it would also have taken him out of the Liverpool side for an unthinkable amount of time.

I’m not saying I know what is the right thing to do in these situations, and maybe Benitez doesn’t either. But sometimes it’s the not knowing that leaves you sitting on a ticking time bomb.

Do you take Torres and Gerrard out for, say, a month, get them right and then bank on them inspiring a flying end to the campaign similar to last year?

Or do you just carry on and hope they get through unscathed? It’s a big risk either way.

The problem with the latter option is, these players will be looking at the World Cup. The season finishes, then it’s on to friendlies, training camps and – if they get to the final (which is extremely realistic in Torres’ case a least) – you’re talking seven games in a month.

Then almost straight away back to the clubs for pre-season without a break.