Rafael Benitez may be forced to rotate for Liverpool's crucial matches

James Ducker

Liverpool’s recent unbeaten run may have coincided with Rafael Benítez breaking from his infamous rotation policy, but Jamie Carragher believes that the manager will revert to his tried and trusted methods during a gruelling three-week period that could make or break the team’s season.
Since their humiliating exit at the hands of Barnsley in the FA Cup fifth round last month, Liverpool have won their past seven matches in all competitions, reaching the Champions League quarter-finals and regaining fourth place in the Barclays Premier League in the process.
Benítez has made 16 changes to his line-ups during that time at an average of a little less than 2.29 changes per match, but with Manchester United to play at Old Trafford on Sunday in the first of five mouthwatering fixtures over a 17-day period — not to mention next week’s international schedule — Carragher is adamant that the Spaniard will soon be ringing the changes once again.
“The manager takes a lot of criticism [for his rotation policy], but over the last few weeks we haven’t been changing too much as there hasn’t been as many games,” the defender said. “But with these five games coming up, plus the international games, I’m sure there might be a few changes. At this time of the season there are maybe a few tired legs and things just need freshening up every now and again.”
Benítez will lose many of his senior squad to international duty after the match against United, with the Liverpool manager particularly irked that Javier Mascherano, the midfield player, must travel to Cairo for Argentina’s friendly against Egypt on Wednesday, four days before a Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield that is likely to have a huge bearing on the fight for fourth place in the Premier League.
Liverpool will then face Arsenal three times in seven days, with their league meeting at the Emirates Stadium on April 5 sandwiched between their two-leg Champions League quarter-final, and John Arne Riise is adamant that the club can maintain their fine form.
“These next couple of weeks are going to be unbelievable,” the defender said. “We are playing top games against top teams, but we are looking strong at the moment and so we can’t wait for the matches to come around. There’s still a lot to play for as we look to secure fourth place and keep going in the Champions League. That’s our one chance to win a trophy this season and we want to take it.
“The disappointing thing from our point of view is that we should have been up there fighting for the title. You won’t believe how disappointed we are with some of the points we have thrown away this season, especially at home.
“We’ve closed the gap on the top teams of late, but we still need three teams to mess up if we’re going to get back in the title race. For now, I think we have to look to finish fourth and that’s why the derby next weekend is going to be crucial.”
Riise believes that the form of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, who has 27 goals to his name in his debut season at the club, will be vital. “Gerrard and Torres have a partnership like I’ve never seen before,” Riise said. “The two of them are in unbelievable form at the moment, both looking strong and both scoring goals.
“Torres has needed no time at all [to settle in English football]. United will definitely be worried about us because we’re the form side at the moment.”
Torres is confident that he can maintain a spree in which he has found the net nine times in Liverpool’s past six matches. “I hope to score many more goals for Liverpool this season,” the Spain striker said. “ I’ve been having a good year so far and I’m hoping the team can continue our good run of results until the end of the season.”