The Reds take on West Brom at Anfield on Saturday afternoon and the Liverpool boss has followed up his threat by dropping the goal-shy Italian
Mario Balotelli has been dropped by Brendan Rodgers for Liverpool’s home match against West Brom.
The Italy international has only scored one goal in four games since moving to Anfield and his manager suggested on Friday that he might rotate his strikers.
Rodgers stated that Balotelli is not first-choice at Liverpool and as such goes with Rickie Lambert to lead the line.
Elsewhere, summer Lazar Markovic is also dropped after a run of games in the first-team, while summer acquisition Adam Lallana starts in midfield alongside Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson.
The visitors make one change from their 4-0 rout of Burnley last weekend, with Alan Irvine bringing Costa Rican Carlos Gamboa into his 11 in place of Andre Wisdom, who cannot play against his parent club.
Liverpool starting XI: Mignolet; Manquillo, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno; Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana; Coutinho, Lambert, Sterling.
Subs: Jones, Toure, Johnson, Lucas, Markovic, Borini, Balotelli
West Brom starting XI: Foster, Gamboa, Lescott, Dawson, Pocognoli, Dorrans, Morrison, Gardner, Brunt, Sessegnon, Berahino
Subs: Myhill, McAuley, Mulumbu, Blanco, Yacob, Baird, Samaras