No Mascherano in Liverpool squad

Javier Mascherano was not in Liverpool’s squad for their Premier League match away to Manchester City at Eastlands here on Monday.

That led to increased speculation the Argentina midfielder was about to join Barcelona in a big money move away from Anfield.

Mascherano has made it clear he sees his future away from Liverpool but manager Roy Hodgson wants to keep the 26-year-old on Merseyside.

When asked where Mascherano was, Hodgson told Sky Sports: “I don’t know where he is tonight (Monday), but he’s not with us here anyway.

“He’s not here because obviously there is some speculation about his future and at the moment his mind isn’t right, so it wasn’t correct to select him.

“Hopefully matters will get resolved, certainly before the end of the transfer window and I’ll have a chance to pick him again, but tonight would not have been a good time to select him.”

Hodgson, asked whether Liverpool would sell Mascherano in the transfer window due to close at the end of the month, Hodgson added: “I don’t have a gut feeling about it, basically speaking the club has got a position.

“Of course, we are under pressure from another club (Barcelona) who wants to buy him, but we are in good company as it has happened to a lot of clubs during this period of time.

“It will happen, I guess, a day when the offer for him matches our valuation, but until that day he stays with us.”

Neither City nor Liverpool managed to win their opening league fixture this season.