The Italian has been frozen out at Anfield.
Brendan Rodgers has revealed the reasons why Mario Balotelli has been frozen out of the first team picture at Liverpool.
The 24-year-old was available for the FA Cup stalemate with Bolton at Anfield but failed to even make the bench, with Raheem Sterling starting on his own up front.
Balotelli has failed to score a Premier League goal since joining from AC Milan in the summer and Rodgers says his unwillingness to press opponents is behind his demotion.
Rodgers also revealed that Daniel Sturridge could return for the Capital One Cup semi-final, second leg against Chelsea in midweek after returning to training.
“I am judging it every day in training – Mario is exactly the same as every other player, there is no special treatment for anyone,” said the Reds boss.
“Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert are working tirelessly in training and when they go on they have contributed and young Jordan Rossiter, on the bench today, has been brilliant in training and I have to judge it on that.
“If you want to contribute you have to be at it every single day in training in order to be in the squad on matchday.
“We had an hour or so yesterday chatting and he understands where he is at. He knows exactly what is required to be in this squad before he can be in the team.
“It is difficult for him but he knows the level of what this team is at – you see the aggression in our pressing and if you can’t do that you are not going to be a part of what this team is trying to achieve.”
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