All About Sport

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson will request Fernando Torres is left out of Spain's squad for the internationals against Liechtenstein and Argentina.
Torres made his second start of the season and scored the only goal as Liverpool won their first Premier League match of the campaign, 1-0 against West Brom on Sunday.

The former Atletico Madrid striker has been dogged by injury problems over the last two years and has struggled particularly with a knee problem that hampered him throughout the recent World Cup.


Although Torres played almost a full game against West Brom, Hodgson will ask Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque to leave the star with his club for the next fortnight.

He feels that Torres would benefit from a more intensive training regime, rather than preparing for and playing in the Euro 2012 qualifier against Liechtenstein and a friendly against Argentina.

Hodgson said: "He is playing catch-up. He started his pre-season late and has had to nurse his knee through a World Cup and that goal will be great for his confidence and will help him.


"We're hoping Spain will pass up on his services and give him a chance to continue his recovery and his pre-season really. He needs more training and he needs more matches and you won't see the best of him until further along the line.

"It would be very nice if Del Bosque would look kindly on him and us."


Hodgson has signed Portuguese midfielder Raul Meireles and admits he wants to add another striker before the transfer deadline but has ruled out a move for PSV Eindhoven's Ola Toivonen.

He is also hoping to tie up a deal for Fulham left-back Paul Konchesky for STG3 million (RM15 million) once Liverpool youngster Lauri Dalla Valle has passed a medical to move the other way.

"We're very pleased about (Meireles). We've lost some quality midfielders in Yossi Benayoun, Albert Riera, we've lost Alberto Aquilani on loan, Javier Mascherano," said Hodgson.

"It was good to bring in Christian Poulson and Meireles who are two quality players that will boost our squad. They were much needed because other wise we would have been short on bodies in that area."

West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo confirmed he is interested in signing Austrian midfielder Paul Scharner.

Scharner left Wigan at the end of last season and will complete Di Matteo's transfer business until January.

"We're talking to Paul and we'll see if there's a possibility for us to do a deal with him," Di Matteo said. "I guess that will be the end of our business."