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Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez may be claiming that Chelsea's visit to Anfield is just another three points on offer but the fact that he is willing to risk Steven Gerrard's toe injury demonstrates the scale of this fixture, just a week into the new campaign.

The inspirational Reds skipper may need injections in the problem - a hairline fracture on the big toe of his right foot - suffered in a challenge from Achille Emana in the 1-0 Champions League qualifier first leg in Toulouse in midweek.

The 27-year-old has been withdrawn from England's friendly against Germany next week and may even be absent from Liverpool's trip to Sunderland next weekend but his inclusion for Sunday's match is a major statement of intent from the Reds' boss.

With Liverpool having knocked Chelsea out at the semi-final stage of the Champions League in the last two seasons only adding to the antipathy between the sides, the Reds know that a victory would be a major early blow to their title rivals, having invested 50 million pounds in the hope of launching a sustained challenge to end their 17-year wait for the league title.

Benitez knows Gerrard will be vital.

"If we push him a little bit now because it is a very important game, maybe he will need to rest after the game. It's not serious but it's also something we need to be careful about," said the manager.

While urging Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho to remember his promise of last month to keep a lower profile, Benitez insists his main focus is on his team's performances.

"He said he will not talk about other teams but maybe he forgot," he added.

"We (him and Mourinho) are not important. We need to talk about Gerrard and John Terry because all of these things are much better for the game.

"Winning against Aston Villa, was just one game. Now we're talking about our second game and it's important to win and it's important to win against the top sides because you will send a message but it is just another game."

Chelsea's new signing Claudio Pizarro agrees with that view but his obvious desperation to be involved shows the importance of the encounter.

Having scored one goal in one start so far in the Premiership, the 28-year-old Peruvian, who arrived at Stamford Bridge on a free transfer from Bayern Munich, believes the Anfield atmosphere will spur the Londoners on.

He said: "I am very excited about the game and I hope that I can play. For me it will be a new experience. I think that the stadium is very nice and the crowd is amazing there and that's important for our team also. We need that to play.

"I've heard a lot about the rivalry between the clubs but for me it will be just another game, but an important one."