Pacheco on Red alert

Rafa Benitez has placed Daniel Pacheco on red alert as he revealed the promising young striker is edging closer to a first team start.

The 19-year-old has been attracting rave reviews for Liverpool Reserves this season and there is a buzz of anticipation among supporters about his progress.

Pacheco is held in high regard at Anfield and showed flashes of promise in the two appearances he has made for the first team so far, against Fiorentina and Wolves.

More recently, Pacheco was on the bench in five of the Reds' last seven fixtures and Benitez was keen to blood the young man from Malaga in one but found circumstances conspiring against him.

However, his manager has told him to maintain his focus as, with plenty of games on the horizon, Pacheco could yet be presented with an opportunity to make his mark.

"Dani is continuing to train with the first team," said Benitez, who faces a blank weekend before their next assignment against Unirea Urziceni at Anfield on Thursday night.

"When we let (Andriy) Voronin go (to Dynamo Moscow), we immediately brought Dani into the group and every day you can see that he is progressing. His training is good.

"Every day you are thinking about when you can play, he has been on the bench a lot and sometimes you are thinking when it might be right to put him on.

"But you also have to think about senior players and giving time to others who need it. The one thing we know, though, is Dani is a player with quality.

"He has game intelligence and we know that he can make a difference. He is astill very young but we are pleased with him and he is doing well."

Benitez signed Pacheco from Barcelona in the summer of 2007 and wanted to play him in the Carling Cup tie at Arsenal earlier this season but an international call up scuppered that plan.

But, as he has only just signed a deal that will keep him at Anfield until 2012, Benitez has assured Pacheco that he will get plenty of openings in the future.

"Dani has no problems when he is in possession," said Benitez. "He is clever and he always wants to try difficult things but that shows the quality that he has.

"The fact he is training with us shows what we think of him. He is with us all the time and that means he can play at any time.

"It depends on the game but, clearly, if he continues to keep working as he has been doing, he will definitely gets his chance."

Meanwhile, Benitez is keeping his fingers crossed that Jamie Carragher will shake off the groin injury that forced him in the defeat at Arsenal in time to feature against Manchester City.

It has also been suggested Fernando Torres will return in that game next Sunday but Benitez has been quick to sound a note of caution.

"I am not sure if Carra will be available for Thursday against Unirea, but maybe he will have a chance against City," he said.

"Fernando is training with the physios but it is still too early."

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.