Liverpool will be looking to build on the derby triumph over Everton when they face Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday, kick-off at 15:00 hours (GMT). The Reds will be without their top scorer for the Premier League fixture against the Lancashire outfit. Rafa Benitez confirmed the news that Fernando Torres would not be in the squad to face Blackburn on Saturday: "He has been training with the team - not full training sessions but part of them. He's doing well but he will not be ready for this game.”

This week the Spaniard worked alongside his teammates, and coach Rafa Benitez hopes that his striker could return for the midweek Champions League game at Anfield. “He could be ready for Fiorentina. He was doing some exercises with the team and with the football but it's too soon. Maybe next week it will be easier."

Rovers enter the weekend fixture on a high after knocking-out Chelsea in the last eight of the Carling Cup. Blackburn squeezed past the Londoners on penalties after the sides drew 3-3 after extra-time.

Liverpool however will be confident of returning to Merseyside with all three points in the bag. The Reds have an excellent record against Blackburn having lost only one of their last 21 league games with Rovers. Their one defeat was 1-0 loss at Ewood Park on Boxing Day, 2006.

Torres has yet to play at Ewood Park, and the striker will now have to wait a little bit longer for his first game at Blackburn’s home ground. The Spaniard has however faced Rovers twice at Anfield, netting three times. Last season Torres hit two goals in the first half an hour of the fixture on Merseyside. His first of the afternoon was voted ‘Liverpool’s Goal of the Season’; the forward controlled a long ball out of defense with his chest before sending an unstoppable volley over the Rovers’ keeper and into the back of the net. Fernando added a second with a powerful header. The Red number nine opened his goal account against Blackburn in his debut season with a cool strike in a Liverpool 3-1 victory.