Liverpool will be without striker Mario Balotelli for their League Cup fixture with Bournemouth on Wednesday night.

On Sunday, Balotelli returned to Brendan Rodgers's squad for the first time since November 8 by making a second-half appearance during the 3-0 defeat to Manchester United.

However, after Balotelli ended the game with a groin problem, Rodgers has opted to rest the Italian international ahead of the club's Premier League encounter with Arsenal at the weekend.

The 24-year-old has scored just twice in 15 games since moving to Anfield during the summer.