Disadvantages The obvious disadvantage of resting Gerrard and Sterling is that it weakens Liverpool significantly. The captain may not be the force he once was, but he showed against Newcastle that he's still virtually the only Reds player who can take a game by the scruff of the neck. His leadership and experience will be sorely missed. Sterling is probably the one player who could strike genuine fear into Real Madrid at present. His electrifying pace, quick feet and goal threat on the counter-attack would cause them problems, and Ancelotti will be very relieved to see him left out. A fair accusation that many Liverpool fans hurled at Rodgers, once rumours that he was resting the two Englishman emerged on Monday, is that it shows a lack of belief. It's basically waving the white flag and admitting defeat before the game even starts. That is a fair way to look at it, in truth, and regardless of how little chance Liverpool have of getting a result, you just never know. There could be an early red card for a Madrid player, resulting in a penalty for the Reds, for example. In fairness to Rodgers though, i'm sure that if Liverpool had a relatively easy opponent at the weekend he would play his strongest possible team tonight. Conclusion It's wholly understandable why so many Liverpool fans have reacted angrily to the news that Gerrard and Sterling are being rested for tonight's Champions League showdown, but in the grand scheme of things, it makes total sense. The outcome of the game is unlikely to change with or without them in the side, whereas keeping them fresh for the visit of Chelsea could prove vital in reigniting their stuttering Premier League campaign. Let us know your thoughts on Rodgers' rumoured decision to rest Gerrard and Sterling tonight
