Liverpool 2 - 0 Sunderland

Liverpool v Sunderland: Preview

Updated: March 2, 2009, 4:24 PM UK

Liverpool will be without Fernando Torres again when they take on Sunderland at Anfield in the Barclays Premier League.

The ankle injury that forced the Spanish striker to miss Saturday's shattering defeat at Middlesbrough has not improved sufficiently for him to return to the side.

Also out is full-back Alvaro Arbeloa, sidelined for the second successive game with a hamstring problem. Daniel Agger is still out with a back injury.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was in gloomy mood as the club aim to contend with disappointment on the field and continued uncertainty off it.

The Boro defeat left the Reds seven points behind leaders Manchester United, who still have a game in hand.

And as he prepares his side for the Sunderland clash, Benitez is acutely aware recriminations are beginning to fly.

He said: "We have talked about the mistakes we made (at Middlesbrough) and the future. And the immediate future is playing Sunderland, trying to get three points and then waiting to see what happens with Manchester United.

"The title was difficult before, it is more difficult now. What we have to do is take our chances, and that is something that has been the same problem the whole season.

"Maybe if Torres had not been injured so much things would be different, but we cannot change the situation now. Everybody has players who get injured.

"Since the Champions League win in Madrid we have had some problems, several players have been injured, among other things.

"The worst thing has been the injuries to Torres. He has been our main striker and scored a lot of goals for us last season. And this season could have been totally different with him.''

Sunderland boss Ricky Sbragia is hoping to have strikers Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse fit.

Jones returned to training at the weekend after a knee problem, while Cisse is recovering well from an ankle injury and is in line to play against his former club.

Steed Malbranque (calf) and Teemu Tainio (knee) are hopeful of being available after picking up knocks in the 0-0 draw at Arsenal on February 21, while Phil Bardsley is back from suspension.

However, defender Nyron Nosworthy remains on the sidelines after suffering a setback in his recovery from a hamstring strain.

Sbragia does not care if his approach to football management makes him boring if it prevents his team from being too frightened to play.

Reacting to predecessor Roy Keane's scornful response to suggestions that the players should go to work with smiles on their faces, the 52-year-old Sunderland boss confirmed his intention to do things his own way.

Sbragia takes his team to Anfield hoping to repeat the near-fatal blow derby rivals Middlesbrough dealt the Reds' title hopes at the weekend, and at the same time ease the Black Cats away from the Barclays Premier League drop zone.

As he does so, he remains adamant that treating players as human beings, rather than screaming and shouting at them, is the only way to get the best out of them.

Citing the example of an ill-judged square pass played by Andy Reid at Arsenal last time out, which might have handed the Gunners the lead, Sbragia said: "Most managers - not just Roy - would have been out of the dug-out absolutely slaughtering him.

"Previously, a manager would have been out chewing his head off, which would get a negative response from the player again.

"But I couldn't go on to the touchline and rollock him for it, I didn't think that was right. I have got to be bigger than that.

"I want them to go and play without this fear of me being down their necks. I can tell them off when I want to tell them off, but I like to tell them off in private.

"I don't like to tell them off in front of others and show them up and sometimes loose respect. I prefer to pull them aside and have a chat with them. That's the way I work - and I won't change it.''