By Giles Mole and AFP (The Telegraph)The Australian winger has been sidelined since suffering a groin injury while playing for his country in the Asian Cup over the summer.
However, Kewell made a goalscoring return to action for the reserves at the weekend and now has the chance to prove he has a future on Merseyside following the summer acquisitions of Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun.
Liverpool are expected to rest several first-choice players, including goalkeeper Jose Reina, who has branded the injury crisis threatening to overwhelm the club's season as a "pain in the backside."
The Liverpool No 1 was dismayed to see his fellow Spaniards Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres sidelined after suffering recurrences of existing injuries in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Arsenal, and says the setbacks could hardly have come at a worse time.
Liverpool must beat Besiktas at Anfield next week to survive in the Champions League and they cannot afford to lose any more ground to Arsenal and Manchester United in the Premier League title race.
Reina said: "The injuries are a big problem. We have had far too many in the last few months. Now we have another injury to Fernando and another to Xabi.
"When important players are recovering and coming back into the side and then they get injured again, it is always difficult."
Liverpool are still waiting to hear how long they will be without midfielder Alonso, who has suffered a metatarsal fracture, while Torres is expected to be out for three weeks with a torn adductor muscle.
The only consolation for under-pressure manager Rafael Benitez is that the foot injury suffered by Javier Mascherano on Sunday is not as serious as first feared.
Benitez, however, is already without winger Jermaine Pennant with a stress fracture of the shin, and first-choice centre-back Daniel Agger, who is still recovering from his own broken metatarsal.
The loss of Torres is probably the biggest blow to Benitez, though. The Spaniard had to be withdrawn at half-time on Sunday and Liverpool's cutting edge was significantly reduced as a result.
Peter Crouch is expected to make only his sixth start of the season on Wednesday and the England striker is desperate to make an impact.
He said: "I was pleased to get on against Arsenal, even though it wasn't in the circumstances I would have liked with Fernando getting injured. You always want your best players on the pitch and hopefully he won't be out for too long.
"From my point of view I haven't had too many chances this season and so I have to take them when they come along. It's going to be a long season, we have a big squad and everybody will get games at some point. I just know that whenever I play I have to perform.
"Players are greedy and they want to play every week but it's not possible. We know there could be anything up to 70 matches this season and we understand what the manager is trying to do."
However, Kewell made a goalscoring return to action for the reserves at the weekend and now has the chance to prove he has a future on Merseyside following the summer acquisitions of Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun.
Liverpool are expected to rest several first-choice players, including goalkeeper Jose Reina, who has branded the injury crisis threatening to overwhelm the club's season as a "pain in the backside."
The Liverpool No 1 was dismayed to see his fellow Spaniards Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres sidelined after suffering recurrences of existing injuries in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Arsenal, and says the setbacks could hardly have come at a worse time.
Liverpool must beat Besiktas at Anfield next week to survive in the Champions League and they cannot afford to lose any more ground to Arsenal and Manchester United in the Premier League title race.
Reina said: "The injuries are a big problem. We have had far too many in the last few months. Now we have another injury to Fernando and another to Xabi.
"When important players are recovering and coming back into the side and then they get injured again, it is always difficult."
Liverpool are still waiting to hear how long they will be without midfielder Alonso, who has suffered a metatarsal fracture, while Torres is expected to be out for three weeks with a torn adductor muscle.
The only consolation for under-pressure manager Rafael Benitez is that the foot injury suffered by Javier Mascherano on Sunday is not as serious as first feared.
Benitez, however, is already without winger Jermaine Pennant with a stress fracture of the shin, and first-choice centre-back Daniel Agger, who is still recovering from his own broken metatarsal.
The loss of Torres is probably the biggest blow to Benitez, though. The Spaniard had to be withdrawn at half-time on Sunday and Liverpool's cutting edge was significantly reduced as a result.
Peter Crouch is expected to make only his sixth start of the season on Wednesday and the England striker is desperate to make an impact.
He said: "I was pleased to get on against Arsenal, even though it wasn't in the circumstances I would have liked with Fernando getting injured. You always want your best players on the pitch and hopefully he won't be out for too long.
"From my point of view I haven't had too many chances this season and so I have to take them when they come along. It's going to be a long season, we have a big squad and everybody will get games at some point. I just know that whenever I play I have to perform.
"Players are greedy and they want to play every week but it's not possible. We know there could be anything up to 70 matches this season and we understand what the manager is trying to do."
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utusanLFC : Kewell... we're longing to see the best of you like you did during your spell at Leeds. Since then, you're the most prone-injury fella and most of the time, we forget that you're still in the team. This game is for you to clear off any doubts of your ability and your right to be in LFC. Your performance during the Asian Cup was lousy. So do your best tonight. Please...
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