Vote: Real Madrid vs Liverpool - Will Steven Gerrard start for Reds or should Brendan Rodgers drop his captain?

Gerrard is believed be on the bench for the Champions League tie but does he deserve to start at all?

Steven Gerrard is expected to be left out of the starting line-up for Liverpool’s Champions League encounter with Real Madrid, despite the Reds struggling to progress to the last-16 of the competition.

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Brendan Rodgers hinted that both Gerrard and Raheem Sterling could be rested in order to be at their best for Saturday’s Premier League clash against Chelsea. However, with the Reds already suffering a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at the hands of the reigning European champions when the two sides met at Anfield a fortnight ago, Rodgers is risking a heavy defeat by leaving out his best players.

Or is he? There’s no doubting Sterling’s rise to fame has been warranted, but Gerrard’s performances have come into question this season. The former England captain has been far from his best this term, and the suggestions are that he shouldn’t be rested for the game at the Santiago Bernabeu because he should be dropped.

So what do you think? Do Liverpool need their captain on the pitch tonight or should Rodgers wield the axe and drop his captain for his poor form?

Vote in our poll below…

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Voting closes at 4.30pm on Tuesday 04 October.