Roy Hodgson has questioned why Liverpool (10/1 to win Europa League) have to play their qualifier at the end of July in a World Cup year and admitted he could not have asked for a tougher start to his career in charge of the Reds.

Liverpool take on Macedonian minnows FC Rabotnicki on Thursday evening in the first leg of their qualifier (Liverpool 2/9, Rabotnicki 9/1 to win first leg), and Hodgson has been forced to take a relatively inexperienced squad with him for his first competitive game in charge.

England trio Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson have all been left behind to recover more from their World Cup exploits while new signing Joe Cole also stayed back on Merseyside.

Hodgson does have the likes of Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger, and summer signings Milan Jovanovic and Danny Wilson, available while midfield pair Lucas and Alberto Aquilani add some experience.

However, it is likely to be David Ngog up front with the untested academy graduate Nathan Eccleston also tipped for a start out wide.

“I couldn’t have envisaged a more difficult situation than I find myself in at the start of my Liverpool career,” said Hodgson ahead of the game.

“We’ve come to Skopje to play a qualifying game against a good opponent and I’ve had very little chance to work with the first team.

“I’ve not had as many as 10 first-team players at my disposal. It couldn’t be more difficult.

“You have to wonder why, in a World Cup year, a team from one of the top leagues in Europe has to play a qualifying match on July 29, when the players haven’t returned from their holiday yet.”