Irish international Steve Finnan is out of next week’s Far East tour with his new club Liverpool.
The summer signing from Fulham is still recovering from a hernia operation, and manager Gerard Houllier will leave him at home when the party flies out on Monday.
Finnan missed the friendly in Cologne on Wednesday and is not fit enough for Saturday’s game at Crewe.
Houllier said: "Steve will probably be the only senior player who won’t join us on the tour.
“He underwent the same operation which Steven Gerrard had last season. Because he won’t be able to play, I think it’s better for him not to travel. It will help his recovery to have treatment here instead.”