Reds will not risk Gerrard again

Watch Liverpool v Toulouse live on RTÉ Two and online at www.rte.ie/sport (only in the Republic of Ireland) from 19:50.

Steven Gerrard's days of being patched-up and sent out to play for Liverpool's cause when he is not fully fit seem to be numbered.

Manager Rafael Benitez believes he has a big enough and strong enough squad now not to take risks with his most prized asset.

Admittedly he took that risk with Gerrard just over a week ago against Chelsea when he played with a hairline toe fracture after a pain-killing injection but that was a special case.

Gerrard will not play tonight against Toulouse in the second leg of the Champions League third qualifying round and he will be monitored carefully ahead of Saturday's home Barclays Premier League match with Derby.

The injury could throw Gerrard's involvement with England in Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia next month into doubt, although Steve McClaren will almost certainly name Gerrard in his squad on Friday.

Benitez, who is also without Jamie Carragher tonight as the defender recovers from a broken rib and collapsed lung, has spelled out the safety-first treatment of his captain.

'I hope Steven will be okay for the weekend but the Champions League game will be a risk. It is better to keep him training here,' he said.

'The doctor needs to decide after talking to the player when he can be risked.

'I do not want to lose Steve for a long time when you have enough players now for every game. If you push him too much it will be a risk, I want to keep him training and fit but ready. Maybe when he is not always 100% we can leave him out, that is what we will do.'

Benitez will use Peter Crouch from the start tonight and replace Gerrard in midfield with either Mohamed Sissoko or Javier Mascherano.

Gerrard's on-going recovery will then be monitored carefully. Last season he may well have been pushed into action under similar circumstances but that seemingly will not happen now.

Benitez, who clearly believes his side can overcome Toulouse and Derby without Gerrard, will have to send him on England duty next week but both club and country will liaise over his fitness.

The Liverpool manager is hopeful Gerrard will have recovered enough to face the Rams at the weekend, but stopped short of showing any genuine confidence.

'I would hope Steven will be a possibility to play against Derby, but I am not sure, it is up to the doctors,' he said.

'Then we will have to see about England. It is too soon yet, it will depend very much on what England's medical people feel and our own medical staff.'

Benitez will have defender Sami Hyypia involved tonight despite the Finn having sustained a broken nose at Sunderland, while Alvaro Arbeloa is also a possible central defensive stand-in.

Defender Gabriel Paletta was sold to Boca Juniors for around £2million this weekend, a deal completed before the injury problems arose, but Benitez refused to dwell on his apparent lack of cover at centre-back.

He said: 'There is no point considering what I would have done had I known about the injuries but Paletta needed to be playing so it is best that he has gone to Boca.

'Sami will be okay; he has trained and is happy to play against Toulouse.'