RAFAEL Benitez yesterday confirmed £20m midfielder Alberto Aquilani will be in Liverpool’s travelling party for tonight’s Carling Cup clash at Arsenal.

It will be the Italian’s first appearance in a first-team squad since his summer move from Roma.

Since then, the midfielder has been recovering from an ankle operation, and made his belated first appearance in a Liverpool shirt last week in the reserves’ 2-0 win against Sunderland.

Benitez has now made it clear the man he bought to replace Xabi Alonso – a summer departure to Real Madrid – will begin his senior career with the Anfield club in the fourth-round tie at the Emirates Stadium.

Benitez said: ‘‘He will be with us. He is improving his fitness, so he’s in the squad.

‘‘He cannot start at this moment but he will be there and maybe we can give him some minutes. If it’s possible, we will try to use him.’’ Benitez believes the Italy international will add a new dimension to his midfield.

He said: ‘‘We can see in every training session that he has quality, game intelligence and good movements.

He is a different kind of player for us.

Gerrard will miss the game as he continues his recovery from a groin injury, but is expected to return at Fulham on Saturday.

Martin Kelly (ankle) and Albert Riera (hamstring) are also out while Javier Mascherano is serving a onematch suspension.