Liverpool omit WC stars for Europa tie
Roy Hodgson has not included any of England's World Cup stars in his squad that will kick-off Liverpool's Europa League campaign on Thursday.
Captain Steven Gerrard and his international team-mates Jamie Carragher, Glen Johnson and new signing Joe Cole have remained on Merseyside while a less-experienced squad flew out to Macedonia to face FK Rabotnicki in the Reds' third-round qualifying tie.
Spain stars Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina have also been left out, while fellow World Cup stars Javier Macherano and Ryan Babel are also excluded.
New boss Hodgson had been debating whether or not to include the senior players as they continue to ease their way back into pre-season training following the South Africa tournament.
He has instead opted to include youngsters such as Jonjo Shelvey, Nathan Eccleston, Martin Hansen, Peter Gulacsi, David Amoo, Lauri Dalla Valle and Tom Ince in the 20-man travelling party.
However, more familiar faces such as Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Sotirios Kyrgiakos, along with new boys Milan Jovanovic and Danny Wilson, were amongst the squad that touched down in Macedonia as
Liverpool continue their preparations for the upcoming campaign.
Roster:
Liverpool (from): Cavalieri, Aquilani, Agger, Jovanovic, Kyrgiakos, Lucas, Wilson, Ngog, Spearing, Darby, Shelvey, Kelly, Skrtel, Eccleston, Ayala, Hansen, Gulacsi, Amoo, Dalla Valle, Ince.