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No Liverpool return for Torres

Author: Rose Young
Date: 05/12/2009
Football betting

Fernando Torres has been ruled out of Liverpool's trip to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, despite returning to training following his groin injury.

Torres has missed the Reds' last four games with a long-running problem which manager Rafa Benitez is hoping does not require surgery.

But despite earlier suggestions that his ten-goal leading scorer could return at Ewood Park, Benitez has now revealed that Torres will not be risked this weekend.

Instead he could now make his comeback in next week's Champions League game against Fiorentina at Anfield.

Meanwhile, Benitez has hailed Steven Gerrard's passion and commitment as the midfielder prepares to make his 500th appearance for Reds.

Gerrard will join an elite group of players to have reached the milestone for the Anfield club and has been described as the 'complete midfielder' by Benitez.

Assistant manager Mike Phelan has dismissed suggestions that Manchester United pulled out of their deal to sign Adem Ljajic due to a lack of transfer funds.

The Old Trafford club struck a deal with Partizan Belgrade to sign Zoran Tosic and 18-year-old Ljajic 12 months ago in a combined £16.5million deal.

Tosic joined the Red Devils immediately, while Ljajic was to follow in January 2010 after Sir Alex Ferguson described the duo as two potential stars of the future.

United pulled the plug on the Ljajic deal earlier this week, but Phelan - who was filling in for Ferguson at Friday's press conference - claimed the failure to secure a work permit rather than a lack of transfer funds was behind the decision.

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Meanwhile, sportsbook relegation favourites Portsmouth's problems show no sign of going away after it was revealed that their players had not been paid for a second time this season.

The majority of the first-team squad have not yet received their November salaries with a similar scenario having occurred two months' ago.

A statement from the Premier League's bottom club read: "A proportion of their wages will be paid tomorrow (Friday) with the club's new owners working towards paying the remainder over the next few days."

The previous delay was said to be due to administrative problems following the takeover of the club by former owner Sulaiman Al Fahim.

Former Formula One world champion Kimi Raikkonen has agreed to race for a Citroen-backed team in next year's World Rally Championship.

The 30-year-old left Ferrari after three years at the end of the 2009 Formula One season and has now signed a deal to drive for Citroen's Red Bull-backed junior team next season.

He lost his seat when the Italian team decided to make a move for Spaniard Fernando Alonso.

Raikkonen, who was crowned world champion in 2007, had indicated he would only return to Formula One if he was offered a drive at a top team.

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