Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has dropped a strong hint that Fernando Torres will not start against Utrecht in Thursday’s Europa League encounter.

Torres travelled out to Holland as part of a 20-man party ahead of what was expected to be his first European start of the season.

Hodgson opted to leave the rested Steven Gerrard and Daniel Agger behind and has now revealed that the Spain striker may not be in the starting line-up at the Stadion Galgenwaard.

Instead he has hinted that last week’s shock Carling Cup defeat at the hands of Northampton Town has led to a change of approach.

“The mere fact he is here does not mean he will be in the starting XI,” he said.

“When you are playing against Northampton and it is 1-1 and you are not playing very well you are desperate to change the game.

“You look around you and realise you have given all the quality players time off to prepare for the game on Saturday and you would like desperately to bring on maybe one of those players. That is one of the things that has affected my thinking.”

Torres has scored just one goal in seven appearances this season and has been criticised for his below-par performances.

However, Hodgson believes the Spanish World Cup winner is slowly beginning to emerge from his early-season slump.

“He is getting better and better,” he said.“He has been behind our last four goals in the league.

“Those assists will help his confidence. I’ve said all along for him it is a matter of time and a matter of games and it is nice to see him coming back to the form and the kind of player he is.

“I think the injury problems are behind him. I don’t think we can consistently bring up injury problems.

“Everyone knows that for people who live on the reputation of being goalscorers, when goals dry up their confidence takes a bit of a knock.

“But the one thing you know about proven, quality goalscorers is that it will come again.”

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