London – Out-of-favour Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli needs to improve in training if he wants to get back into the squad, manager Brendan Rodgers has said.
Italian Balotelli, who is yet to score a league goal in 12 appearances since his $23.98 million move from AC Milan in August, was left out of the squad that drew 0-0 with second-tier Bolton Wanders at Anfield in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.
Liverpool started the game without a recognised striker on the pitch, later introducing forward Fabio Borini while target man Rickie Lambert remained on the bench.
Rodgers revealed after the match that the 24-year-old Balotelli had not done enough in training to warrant inclusion for the cup tie.
“He knows exactly what is required to be in this squad before he can be in the team,” Rodgers said of the striker.
“I am judging it every day in training – Mario is exactly the same as every other player, there is no special treatment for anyone.
“Borini and Lambert are working tirelessly in training and when they go on they have contributed and young Jordan Rossiter, on the bench today, has been brilliant in training and I have to judge it on that.
“If you want to contribute you have to be at it every single day in training in order to be in the squad on matchday,” the manager added.
Liverpool will welcome back England striker Daniel Sturridge, who has suffered a series of injuries since August, to first team training on Sunday.
Rodgers said the 25-year-old, who struck 21 league goals as Liverpool finished runners-up in the Premier League last season, has an outside chance of featuring in Tuesday’s League Cup semi-final second-leg at Chelsea.
Sturridge’s return will further dent Balotelli’s hopes of a return to action but Rodgers said the Italian understood that he must up his game to compete with Liverpool’s other attacking options.
“It is difficult for him (Balotelli) but he knows the level of (where) this team is at - you see the aggression in our pressing and if you can’t do that you are not going to be a part of what this team is trying to achieve,” the Northern Irishman explained.
“We had an hour or so yesterday chatting and he understands where he is at.” – Reuters