Lucozade aid Europa hopes

Liverpool's players will be in the best possible shape for tonight's Europa League third round qualifier with FK Rabotnicki in Macedonia thanks to a series of tests carried out at Melwood by the club's official partner Lucozade Sport.

Tess Morris, Lucozade's Sports Scientist for the Premier League, and her team visited the club's training complex in West Derby to carry to liaise with Liverpool's Head of Sports Medicine and Sports Science Peter Brukner.

Many Kopites will recall one of the club's greatest ever players John Barnes kicking a Lucozade Sport can in an advert during the late 1980s, but Sports Science in football has come a long way since then and it is now an integral part of keeping players fit for a long and hard Barclays Premier League season.

Lucozade Sport ambassador Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole were amongst the squad being tested before Roy Hodgson put the team through their paces for their last training session in England ahead of the trip to Macedonia.

Tess and her team of Dr Hannah McLeod and Phil Evans conducted some hydration testing on Roy Hodgson's squad and Dr Brukner believes these tests are imperative when it comes to monitoring an individual player's fitness and health.

He told Liverpoolfc.tv: "We have had a great relationship with Lucozade Sport for some time and we are very fortunate they can provide this testing for us.

"They analysed the concentration of the players sweat and as a result of this we will adjust their fluid intake depending on what is required.

"This is certainly applicable to the hot conditions we will face in Macedonia. The forecast temperature is 32 degrees, so in circumstances like that when the players will sweat a lot we really need to know how much they lose and what fluids they will need. This is all part of the scientific back up we are providing for the team this year.

"We can't teach the players how to score goals, but we can certainly make sure they are in the best possible physical condition.

"There is so much more science involved in sport these days and this is just one aspect of it. Previously every player got the same drinks but we have decided with this information from the testing with Lucozade Sport, we can give each individual player their own drink which will replace exactly what they are losing.

"Each individual player has their own gym programme and their own injury prevention programme - everyone is different and you can't treat them the same.

"I certainly appreciate the help Lucozade Sport give us and look forward to working with them this season and beyond."

Lucozade Sport Sports Scientist Morris added: "We are lucky enough to have had a very close relationship with Liverpool Football Club for a good number of years now and the players were all first class with us.

"Steven Gerrard has been our ambassador for a number of years and he is always great when it comes to leading the way and helping us out.

"He did some adverts for Lucozade Sport before the World Cup and we are delighted to be working with him.

"After conducting the tests we then give Dr Brukner and the players' feedback and results from the testing and they take it from there."

Click here to listen to live commentary tonight on Liverpool's Europa League third round qualifier v FK Rabotnicki>>