Torres out for rest of 2008

Liverpool could struggle to hold onto their lead at the top of the Premier League, as the club revealed yesterday that their Spanish striker Fernando Torres won't play again in 2008, robbing Rafa Benitez of the club's main goal threat. "Torres saw a specialist in Spain on Tuesday and learned he is likely to be out for longer than the two to three weeks originally expected after being injured against Marseille last Wednesday," writes Colin Wood in the Daily Mail. "The £21m signing, who finished his first season at Anfield with 33 goals, has already missed eight matches for his club this season, including Monday's stalemate with West Ham. Now manager Rafa Benitez has to accept losing his star striker for six more games - five in the League against Blackburn, Hull, Arsenal, Bolton and Newcastle, as well as the final Champions League group tie against PSV Eindhoven."