The Liverpool striker Fernando Torres remained on Merseyside to receive treatment on his injured groin today as his team-mates flew to Hungary for their Champions League match against Debrecen.

The Spaniard was expected to miss out on his side’s Group E match, which Liverpool must win to retain any hopes of qualification for the knockout stages of the competition, but the club remain hopeful that he will recover in time for the derby with Everton at the weekend.

Manager Rafael Benítez confirmed Torres’s absence on the club’s website. “We thought it would be two or three weeks and he’s only 12 or 13 days into that so there’s no point in him going,” said Benítez. “The next few days will decide if he is fit for Everton (on Sunday), but at this moment there are no guarantees.”

Liverpool need to beat Debrecen to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages, but a victory would be rendered meaningless if Fiorentina beat Lyon.