Steven Gerrard Injury Revelation Made by Brendan Rodgers Before Chelsea Game

Brendan Rodgers' decision to rest the likes of Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling during Liverpool's Champions League loss to Real Madrid produced two things: a surprisingly adept performance from his reserves and extra pressure for Saturday's Premier League showdown with Chelsea.

Rodgers initially suggested Gerrard's absence was tactically planned in the middle of "three big games," per David Maddock of the Mirror. During his pre-game presser before the tie with Chelsea, however, he indicated an injury kept Gerrard out of the Bernabeu starting XI, reported by James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo:

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Rodgers was said to have "thrown in a white towel" by Match of the Day host Gary Lineker after the defeat.

His contradiction over Gerrard's lack of appearance adds to the confusion. Rodgers later suggested those rested may not even make the Chelsea game, per B/R UK's Karl Matchett:

Gerrard's substitute run out against Madrid confirmed he isn't unfit and could have started the match, so something doesn't quite add up. This is a recurring theme for Rodgers, who "categorically" stated Liverpool wouldn't sign Mario Balotelli before the Italian striker arrived at the club. 

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The Northern Irishman proved a shrewd man-manager of Sterling last season, providing the player with plenty of responsibility during Liverpool's Premier League run. Now European and cup games are piling up, he is entitled to rest the 19-year-old in lesser fixtures.

Why did he choose to do so against Madrid and not the 120-minute Capital One Cup slog against Middlesbrough? Having Chelsea in mind is unlikely to satisfy supporters who want to see Liverpool's best players take on the biggest clubs.

Liverpool's lack of goals is worrying—the Reds have failed to score in four of their last five matches—with Balotelli among those to disappoint in Daniel Sturridge's absence. Divock Origi could have solved this problem, as highlighted below:

Origi, whom Rodgers signed before loaning back to Lille in the summer, has netted five for the French side this season, per WhoScored.com. Lille head coach Rene Girard confirmed Origi won't move in January, per Belgian newspaper RTBF (via Alex Richards of the Mirror), leaving Liverpool short on attacking prowess.

Rodgers is admiring from afar, as reported by Pearce:

Liverpool can banish the disappointment of Madrid (and its fallout) with a win over Chelsea. Rodgers has an awful lot to prove after a baffling week of questionable decisions. He is a talented manager who focuses on his own vision, but he needs to provide a straighter story if he is to gain greater trust from fans.

Anfield will be out in full force come Saturday, however, cheering Gerrard, Sterling and the rest of Liverpool's rested stars on to what could be a season-changing victory.