The Red Destroyer
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Benitez ready to welcome back Mascherano
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has confirmed midfielder Javier Mascherano will return for tomorrow's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Benitez will welcome back the Argentina international from a one-match suspension which meant he missed Sunday's Merseyside derby victory after his sending off at Manchester United the previous week.
Mascherano, following his reaction to his sending-off at Old Trafford, faces a Football Association hearing on Friday and it is likely he will be banned again for the weekend's Premier League clash with the Gunners.
But Benitez has no doubt the player can cope with being drafted in and out of the side as the 23-year-old will be available for the Champions League second leg at Anfield on April 8.
'Javier will be available for the first leg, he will start the game,' said Benitez. 'He was playing well before the suspension and there is no doubt he will be important for us at Arsenal.'
Benitez revealed only long-term injury casualties Harry Kewell (groin) and Daniel Agger (foot) are not being considered for the Emirates showdown.
Either Alvaro Arbeloa or Fabio Aurelio will return to the defence after both were rested for the Merseyside derby.
'We wanted to protect one of them, but I will not make that decision public at the moment,' added the Reds boss.
Benitez has numerous options for his back four. He can return Jamie Carragher to central defence from right-back and bring in Steve Finnan or Arbeloa, with Aurelio pressing John Arne Riise for the left-back spot.
Further forward the front six virtually pick themselves with Xabi Alonso and Mascherano the holding players behind an attacking midfield trio of Ryan Babel, Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard with Fernando Torres up front.
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Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has been banned for a further two matches and fined £15,000 following his behaviour after being sent off in the game against Manchester United on March 23, the Football Association have confirmed.
Mascherano was banned for one match after being shown two yellow cards by referee Steve Bennett at Old Trafford. But the Argentinian has been banned for a further two games after he continued to protest after being shown the red card by the official.
Mascherano admitted a charge of improper conduct and has been punished further by the FA, with the additional suspension coming into effect immediately. Mascherano - who missed the derby victory over Everton as a result of the dismissal - will now also miss this weekend's clash with Arsenal and the home game with Blackburn on April 13
Following the announcement Liverpool confirmed that they will consider their options before deciding whether to appeal the decision. A club spokesman told www.liverpoolfc.tv: "Although we received a fair hearing we must now decide whether to appeal on the basis of inconsistency of sentencing for Javier based on past precedents."