Besiktas v Liverpool: 8 first-team members missing for Europa League clash says Brendan Rodgers

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is confident that his team can complete the job against Besiktas in Turkey despite missing a host of first team stars.

The Reds come into this match with a slender 1-0 advantage from the first-leg win at Anfield, and the manager, who has a big clash against Manchester City over the weekend has opted to rest important first-team players, and has also revealed that few of his squad members were carrying slight niggles and knocks from previous fixtures.

Reports on Wednesday suggested that Rodgers had left behind Steven Gerrard, Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson among others for the clash in Istanbul. It is the same venue in which the Liverpool skipper inspired his team to a memorable comeback against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final.

The report claims that Henderson was left behind due to an ankle knock, whereas the Brazilian schemer was given a week off to keep him fresh for the visit of the Premier League champions on Sunday.

The Northern Irishman confirmed the same, but is confident that the players who feature know their jobs and will be able to compete at a high level during the game.

"We've got a few injuries. We're probably out here without eight of our squad who have knocks, some with previous and some who picked up something at the weekend," Rodgers said, as quoted by the Daily Mail.

"We still have a squad strong enough to hopefully get the job complete. But we've got a few knocks and niggles from the weekend."

"The confidence is very high in the team and the changes we make and the players that come in, they know their collective jobs. They're performing at a very high level so we expect that confidence level to continue and to carry that into the game," the Reds boss explained.