Brendan Rodgers has revealed that Steven Gerrard will not walk back into Liverpool’s starting XI when he returns from his latest injury lay-off.

The Reds’ skipper has missed the club’s last six games with a hamstring problem, but as returned to training this week and will be assessed ahead of the Merseysiders’ FA Cup quarter-final tie with Blackburn on Sunday.

Despite being a club icon and one of the team’s star names, Liverpool have coped well without Gerrard, winning five of the games they have played to get their top four chase firmly back on track after a tricky start to the season.

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The 34-year-old is now in the final three months of his career at his boyhood club ahead of a move to MLS side LA Galaxy, and Rodgers says that there will be no sentiment and that his skipper will have to earn his place in the team ahead of the likes of Jordan Henderson and Joe Allen:

"There is no-one in the squad who has a God-given right to walk straight into the team," he is quoted by Sky Sports.

"It probably would be (an issue) for other people but certainly not for me and it wouldn't be for Steven.

"He is very much a team player and if he was on the bench because the team was in good form and playing well I think everyone respects that.

"I have shown my time here players who are performing well, irrespective of price or status, they play - simple as that.

"He is not fit yet so we just need to get him back and then if that (him sitting on the bench for the final three months of his Liverpool career) was the case you would have to ask Steven (how he feels).

"Let's see how the season pans out and then review it then."

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