LIVERPOOL -- Daniel Sturridge is in contention to make his long-awaited Liverpool return against former club Chelsea in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday.
Manager Brendan Rodgers says the forward will not be risked if he is not fit, but has the potential to make the squad for the semifinal second leg.
Sturridge, who scored 21 Premier League goals as the Reds finished runners-up to Manchester City last season, has not played for his club since the end of August.
He picked up a thigh injury while training with England on Sep. 5, then a calf problem during a Liverpool practice session on Oct. 16.
Just as he was on the verge of a comeback, he then sustained a second thigh injury during a club training session on Nov. 18.
Liverpool sent the 25-year-old to the U.S. for rehabilitation work over Christmas, before he returned to Merseyside in early January, and he is now close to a comeback.
Rodgers said: "We'll see how Daniel is today. He trained with the team yesterday, and trained very well. That was as comfortable as he's looked. When he was coming back before, he was maybe a little bit tentative. Yesterday, he looked back to normal.
"So we'll see how he is after today. If he's not ready for tomorrow, we won't risk him. He's been out for a long time, so we need to make sure he feels ready. I don't think he'll be 100 percent when he comes back. That will only come with game time.
"We can only keep him in the best possible condition he can be, both physically and mentally, then that will give him a chance to stay fit."
Liverpool, who drew 1-1 with Chelsea in last Tuesday's first leg, go into the return on the back of a 0-0 draw at home to Championship side Bolton in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.
But if that was a disappointing result, it was nothing compared to the FA Cup embarrassment suffered by Jose Mourinho's side, who threw away a two-goal lead at home to League One side Bradford and were beaten 4-2.
"There'll be a great motivation for Chelsea, with a Wembley place at stake," Rodgers said. "When you come off a game like that, you want to put it right.
"But there's also that thought in the back of your mind that even if you're 2-0 up, you can still lose the game. So I'm sure there'll be that wee bit of trepidation, but with a motivation to get over the result."