Liverpool have taken a relatively inexperienced party of 20 over to Macedonia for their Europa League 3rd qualifying round meeting with Rabotnicki Skopje.

Though have been able to include a sprinking of recognised first team players amongst the squad from which Roy Hodgson will select his first competive side.

This includes a number who have been out at the World Cup. Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Sotirios Kyrgiakos are amongst that number but given the nature of the squad a large number of debuts seem inevitable.

Those who could make a bow include new signings Milan Jovanovic, Danny Wilson and Jonjo Shelvey.

Despite a slight knee problem Alberto Aquilani has been declared fit.

Though Hodgson said he could not rule out including the quartet to represent England in South Africa Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole, Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson have remained on Merseyside to continue their pre-season preparations.

So too Maxi Rodriguez and Javier Mascherano.

Despite acknowledging the Argentina captain has asked to be allowed a move Roy Hodgson insists Mascherano will be treated no differently to any other player at his disposal when selecting teams.   

Though the Liverpool boss admitted there was no prospect of the English quartet being called upon for this journey.

"We were never close to that because they have only been training for four days," he said.

"It would have been folly to try to play 90 minutes' football in an important competition in difficult conditions with players who have only been training for four days."

Though Hodgson did confess some of those under his charge have been asked to come back quicker than preferred adding: "We have pressed one or two players into service who were back one or two days earlier than that.

"But in an ideal world we would not have used any of the players that played in the World Cup.

"Quite frankly, we are not in a strong enough position to do that."

Rabotnicki from: Bogatinov, Belica, Sekulovski, Dimovski, Muarem, Carlos Z, Todorovski, Adem, Gligorov, Tunevski, Wandier, Kandikjian, Marcio, Silva, Carlos R, Petkovski, Misevski, Sinkovic

Liverpool from: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Agger, Jovanovic, Kyrgiakos, Lucas, Wilson, Ngog, Spearing, Darby, Shelvey, Kelly, Skrtel, Eccleston, Ayala, Hansen, Gulacsi, Amoo, Dalla Valle, Ince.

Kick off is at 8pm on Thursday evening.

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