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It is bad, bad, bad news for Liverpool that Daniel Sturridge is facing up to another month on the sidelines.

Not so much because the Reds will be without far and away their best striker and one of the top forwards in the Premier League.

But Sturridge’s continued absence will have an ongoing effect on the way Brendan Rodgers’ side play.

Teams will be able to keep on pushing tight on Liverpool’s forward line and closing the spaces.

Opponents will look to pin the Reds back in midfield and that won’t give their creative players much room in which to manoeuvre.

Believe me, there’s nothing better as a defender knowing you are playing against forwards who are not going to beat you in a foot race.

It helps a defence compact the game and that is going to detract from way Rodgers’ likes to set up his teams.

I can’t see the Reds playing both Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert up front. It will be one or the other.

For me, Lambert did nothing wrong against West Bromwich Albion last time out and, with Balotelli still finding his feet at Anfield, would appear the better bet at QPR this afternoon.

Could Steven Gerrard be pushed further upfield into his old attacking position?

That’s possible, but it doesn’t overcome the fact he still won’t have anybody to pass to.

Gerrard has the ability to pick holes in a defence for quick strikers to run on to, but neither Lambert nor Balotelli are that type of player.

Well, there’s Fabio Borini. I had a go at him for staying but he may soon be in the side by default.

If Borini is going to play, it won’t be on his own. In that case, Rodgers could revert to the diamond at Loftus Road – although it didn’t work too well at Upton Park last month.

I’ve seen QPR play a few times this season and they aren’t great.

In fact, they are playing like a team who realised they were lucky to get out of the Championship by winning a play-off final during which they had been completely outplayed.

It may have been a bit nervy towards the end, but Liverpool gained a much-needed victory on their last outing against West Brom.

Even without Sturridge, I’d expect them to win today.

Despite their poor start, Liverpool are only a point off fourth place.

Victory today will keep them moving in the right direction.

Madrid match will be a night to remember

It’s going to be a fantastic night at Anfield on Wednesday when Real Madrid come to town.

The old stadium has really missed such occasions.

It truly is a special atmosphere that only people who have experienced it will fully understand.

There’s that element of it being dark and under floodlights – which players absolutely love.

Plus it is a visit of the current Champions League holders.

That said, I think Liverpool have a much better chance of taking something from the game than many believe.

Real are beatable.

Defensively they are not all that great, and for me it will be about which team keeps the ball better and dominates possession.

If Liverpool can stop the service to Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, then they will have a chance of getting at the Madrid back line.

I wouldn’t sign either Sergio Ramos or Pepe, while Iker Casillas is something of a busted flush now.

Real have tempestuous defenders.

They are weak mentally and have a capacity of losing it in spectacular fashion – the Reds will have to put them in such a position.

Of course, Liverpool aren’t exactly brilliant at the back themselves, which gives them all the more reason to play five in midfield.

I’d have Joe Allen and Adam Lallana in there alongside Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling with probably Mario Balotelli the lone striker up front.

Hodgson calls it wrong again

What on earth was Roy Hodgson playing at by revealing Raheem Sterling mentioned he may not be at full fitness?

If a player is feeling an injury or is fatigued, it is honest of him to mention that to his manager.

That kind of thing happens all the time. We just don’t hear about it.

The problem is Hodgson decided to announce it to the world. But for what purpose?

It has just led to the England boss and the Football Association discussing it for two or three days.

If only they’d spent as long talking about what went wrong at the World Cup, perhaps the national team would be further down the line in terms of progress.

Sterling had a little problem. But the furore that has followed has turned the situation into something like Watergate. And Hodgson is to blame.

Part of the problem is the fact England are going to walk their way to Euro 2016.

It isn’t doing them any favours and, with precious little to talk about, even the most trivial issue is being highlighted to a ridiculous degree.

In terms of on-field action, England aren’t in a competitive group and it isn’t preparing their players for what will come in the finals themselves.

The same cannot be said for the Republic of Ireland and the other Home Nations.

There’s no guarantee any of them will qualify, but they have all made fine starts and are certainly involved in more entertaining and meaningful matches.

However, it is still very early days. And these nations all need every one of their best players to be available to have a chance of qualifying.

This is also a game for the experience of Glen Johnson.