By Matt Monaghan
Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is set to lean on his medical staff to unleash star striker Fernando Torres for their Premier League opener against Arsenal.
Torres, 26, handed the Reds' support a boost yesterday as he declared he was set to spurn the advances of Manchester City and Chelsea. Despite committing to the club, the Spain international wasn't expected to feature in the immediate future after he was injured in the World Cup 2010 final.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Hodgson gave yet another boost to the fans after he stated Torres could line-up against the Gunners on August 15.
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He said: "He's only been back a few days and needs to do work to make certain he recovers from his holiday of three weeks and injury he picked up towards the end of the World Cup.
"I am still hopeful, come Sunday week when we play the Arsenal it won't be out of the question to use him then. Even though I do realise the sports scientist people are probably going to tell me it'll be too early."
The former Fulham boss also confided that he was always confident his star player would remain at Anfield.
"I've got to say, ever since I took the job, [managing director] Christian Purslow was always confident Fernando would stay. He always told me 'there's nothing to worry about'," Hodgson said.
"It's nice now the speculation can end once and for all. Even better, Fernando has gone out and given an excellent interview yesterday where he's made it absolutely clear how committed he is."
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One man who isn't expected to remain on Merseyside is Javier Mascherano. The Argentina skipper is understood to be eager to reunite with Rafael Benitez at Inter, and Hodgson admits the midfielder could move on.
He said: "I think that will be slightly more difficult if a big offer comes in for him and it's a club he wants to go to. That will be harder, but the good thing for me is, we've not had that offer.
"As a result, I can continue to work with him, deal with him as a Liverpool player and consider him as a Liverpool player.
"I just wait for the day, if the day comes, when an offer comes in and maybe if it was the offer that meets his valuation and he wants to go, I don't know if my powers of persuasion would be much good in that situation."
source: goal.com
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