Latest news out of Liverpool's Melwood training ground is that Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres have completed a light training session and will be included in the 18-man squad for the visit of Manchester United to Anfield tomorrow. The cynical amongst us (myself included) will have already predicted this.

This trend of playing up injuries to squad members appeared to start with José Mourinho. Mourinho took the unusual step of announcing his starting line-up 24 hours prior to kick-off before a champion’s league tie in Barcelona in February 2005. However, his named side took the field with a couple of alterations.

All the top managers employ this tactic now. Sir Alex Ferguson has previously done it with Rio Ferdinand, and Steven Gerrard's announcement that would not be fit in time to face United (presumably under instruction from Benitez) is just the latest in a long line of untruths regarding injuries.

I don't think I'm the only one who constantly sees through this tactic, and to be honest I'm getting a little bit tired of this. Surely at this point, there is no advantage to be gained from lying.

I think we, the fans, deserve (occasionally, anyway) to be credited with a little but more intelligence and honesty with regards to the fitness of players.
It all just seems a little bit silly, I think.

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