Torres to sit out United with pulled hamstring

Fernando Torres is to have a scan on his hamstring today after limping out of yesterday's goalless draw with Aston Villa and potentially Liverpool's showdown with Manchester United.

The Liverpool striker joined his club captain, Steven Gerrard, on the injured list after 27 minutes at Villa Park, where Rafael Benítez received a hostile reception from the home supporters for his public pursuit of Gareth Barry.

Torres will be examined today and withdrawn from Spain's World Cup qualifiers against Bosnia and Armenia. He could be out for a month if results confirm severe damage to his right hamstring.

"Torres will have a scan tomorrow and only then will we know how bad it is. Only the scan can tell us," said Benítez , whose side maintained their unbeaten start to the season but failed to capitalise on Chelsea's home draw with Tottenham earlier in the afternoon to go top. "It is always a problem when you don't have Gerrard or Torres but the only positive news for us is the international break, which can give us time to get them fit. I think we will loose Gerrard for one more game, maybe, and hopefully Torres will be the same. It will be at least seven to 10 days, but it is too early to say for sure."

The 24-year-old pulled up as he chased a Javier Mascherano pass with Nicky Shorey, the hero of Spain's European Championship victory instantly signalling his discomfort to the Liverpool bench before being escorted down the tunnel by the club doctor, Mark Waller. With Gerrard recovering from two minor operations to his groin, and having only a slim chance of playing in Liverpool's next game, Torres' absence against United would be keenly felt by a team yet to spark this term.

Sir Alex Ferguson's champions arrive at Anfield on September 13, with Liverpool's opening Champions League group game away in Marseille three days later, a home game with Stoke City, the Carling Cup third-round tie with Crewe and the Merseyside derby at Everton completing a testing month for Benítez's team.

The Liverpool manager admitted "it was a pity we didn't go top today", but did not bemoan a point from a game that Villa had the edge in throughout, and denied suggestions that Albert Riera's proposed £8m move from Espanyol has not gone through due to a lack of funds at Anfield. Riera was given until Friday by Espanyol to complete the transfer, and Liverpool's chief executive, Rick Parry, travelled to Barcelona to finalise personal terms last Wednesday, but Benítez insisted the deal would proceed before tonight's midnight deadline. "I hope it will be done," he said. "We are still working on the deal and I am confident. It is really close and, in terms of bringing players in, he will be the only one if we can finish the deal."

Benítez turned to Riera having been denied funds to complete his £18m pursuit of Barry, the most intelligent performer on display at Villa Park, with the England international committing his immediate future to Martin O'Neill's team. The Villa manager, who put his summer spat with Benítez aside to shake his opponent's hand before and after the game, indicated he expects Liverpool to renew their interest in the 27-year-old when the January window opens.