Steven Gerrard may be ready to take a major risk by fielding a non-fully fit James Tavernier, according to widely-circulating press.

Tavernier has just recovered from an appendectomy and while back in training, hasn’t played a minute of serious football this calendar year, but despite clearly being some way off match fit, the buzz going round alludes to the RB starting back in his normal slot.

This is a risk. This is a BIG risk.

Tavernier is not completely fit, and Matt Polster has been playing pretty well in the captain’s absence.

We are extremely wary of the former Newcastle man being in from the off, purely because he isn’t ready, mentally or physically.

Tonight’s clash will be an intense test for the whole team, a team out of form and up against one with a bit of momentum – it’s not a match to carry passengers and we would be deeply concerned if Tavernier starts.

Of course, we could be wrong – the 27-year old may be fit as a fiddle, but the reality is training matches are just no substitute to serious competitive action and unless he’s a biological marvel, he just won’t last 90.

He was on the bench on Saturday, symbolically, just to get him back in the zone, but he was never coming on.

Now, four days later, he’s ready to start?

We’d find this strange.

But it’s Stevie’s call – let’s hope whatever one he makes is the right one.