Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has revealed that skipper Steven Gerrard and defender Alvaro Arbeloa are doubtful for Saturday's clash with Fulham.

With the Champions League semi-finals first leg against Chelsea next week, Benitez is unlikely to risk England midfielder Gerrard, but the Spaniard, however, asserted that he will send out a ‘strong team.’

Benitez, whose side are in fourth place five points above fifth-placed Everton, said: “We will use a strong team, as we did against Arsenal for example, and we will try to win because we want to secure fourth position.

“We have problems with Arbeloa, [Daniel] Agger, [Harry] Kewell and Gerrard. Agger and Kewell will not play, we need to check Arbeloa and Gerrard.

“Gerrard’s is a neck problem. He scored three or four goals with the head in training, so at the end he had a neck problem.

“But we will play a team to win so we can go eight points clear of Everton.”