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Torres injury adds to Liverpool's woes

Fernando Torres will miss Liverpool FC's tie against FC Unirea Urziceni after being ruled out for six weeks while Steven Gerrard is sidelined for a fortnight and Yossi Benayoun out for up to a month.

Rafael Benítez consoles Fernando Torres after his early exit against Reading
Rafael Benítez consoles Fernando Torres after his early exit against Reading ©Getty Images

Liverpool FC will be without Fernando Torres for their UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie against FC Unirea Urziceni after the striker was ruled out for six weeks, on the same day they lost Steven Gerrard for a fortnight and Yossi Benayoun for up to a month.

Under the knife
All three injuries were sustained in the former UEFA Champions League contenders' 2-1 extra-time FA Cup third round replay loss to second-tier Reading FC on Wednesday night. Torres, top scorer with 12 league goals this season, has torn cartilage in his right knee and requires surgery, meaning he should miss the matches against Unirea on 18 and 25 February.

Further problems
Gerrard's hamstring strain will render him unavailable for two weeks, while Benayoun has a broken rib that will sideline him for "between three and four weeks". Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez is already without the services of right-back Glen Johnson until the end of the month because of a medial ligament tear in his right knee, with his side currently seventh in the Premier League.