Torres may be fit for FA Cup tie

Torres has scored 18 goals for Liverpool this season

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is optimistic injured striker Fernando Torres will be fit to face Barnsley in Saturday's FA Cup fifth-round match.

Torres, 23, missed the goalless draw at Chelsea at the weekend because of a hamstring strain he suffered while playing for Spain against France.

But Benitez said: "Maybe he can be available for the weekend against Barnsley. We have time.

"The physios are working with him really hard. He could be OK."

Should Torres return it would be a huge boost for Liverpool, who face Italian champions Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday 19 February.

Liverpool failed to hit the target at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, with striker Peter Crouch guilty of missing three good chances.

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Benitez said: "Before the game, to say we would get a point here would have been good - afterwards, you could say it was two points dropped.

"We are disappointed but it is not easy to get anything here and if you cannot get three points, then it is better to draw than lose.

"We were trying to win and two or three times we had players in good situations but we could not finish."

Liverpool are in a race with Everton, Aston Villa and Manchester City for fourth place and the final Champions League spot - and Benitez is confident his squad has what it takes.

"If we win our game in hand we are in fourth place," he added.

"After that we must try to progress. If we play like we did here then we will win a lot of games between now and the end of the season."