The Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is looking forward to seeing what his £20m signing can do in his first competitive match tonight, but he says he will have to study the Italian’s fitness before considering him for the crucial game against Arsenal this coming weekend.

“I can understand the fans’ frustration at having to wait so long to see him because all the staff and I have been just as frustrated,” said Benitez.

“But, when a player has been out four months, you have to be careful about choosing the right game for his comeback.

“We should all be proud of the pace and physical strength of English football but it presents its own problems. For someone like Alberto, who has spent most of the past four months in the gym or swimming pool, it would not be right to expect him to cope with Everton or Blackburn for his first game.

“This is the right opportunity for him and he comes into the game with everything except his match fitness looking exactly right. In training yesterday, he scored an exceptional goal, chipping the ball past Pepe Reina and into the top corner with his left foot, and his touch was outstanding.

“He showed signs of real quality and, though I feel his tackling still needs to improve, I think the fans will see a clever, intelligent player who gets into good positions.

“We are all waiting to see what he can do on the pitch and it could be a chance to press his claims for the Arsenal game. Clearly we need to assess his fitness afterwards but it is really positive that we will see him out on the pitch at last.”

Liverpool could do with Gerrard, Torres and Aquilani ALL being fit to face Arsenal next weekend. This is building up to being a very definitive match for Liverpool’s season.