Lucas Leiva could be heading for a Liverpool exit after falling out of favour with Brendan Rodgers and being omitted from the squad who opened the season with a win at Stoke City.

The Brazil midfielder did not travel to the Britannia Stadium having been informed by Rodgers he has dropped down the central midfield pecking order. Jordan Henderson and James Milner started the game, with Emre Can impressing when introduced from the substitutes’ bench in the second half. Joe Allen is another option available to Rodgers but is sidelined by a hamstring injury.

Relations between the manager and Lucas are under strain as a result of the player effectively being demoted to Liverpool’s fifth choice central midfielder. Having been marginalised before by Rodgers only to regain a first-team place, and been linked with a move in previous transfer windows, Lucas’s future at the club is again in doubt.

The 28-year-old has attracted interest from several Italian clubs with Internazionale inquiring about his availability in January. Lucas has stayed to fight for his place in recent seasons, and succeeded, but may reconsider that stance should a tempting offer materialise before 1 September.

Mamadou Sakho is also facing a fight for a regular starting role having been excluded from the matchday squad at Stoke, although he did travel.

Sakho missed several days’ training at Melwood last week to attend the birth of his child in Paris but Rodgers had already decided to start the season with Dejan Lovren alongside Martin Skrtel in central defence and the Croatia international responded with an assured display in the 1-0 victory.