The ownership struggle that has engulfed Liverpool Football Club this season will be the focus for a new parliamentary inquiry.

Despite a third appearance in four seasons in the Champions League semi-finals, Liverpool's achievements on the field have been overshadowed by the ongoing battle between Tom Hicks and George Gillett, the club's controversial co-owners.

The takeover by the American tycoons has highlighted the issue of foreign ownership in the Premier League. Since agreeing to split the cost of buying the club, Gillett and Hicks have loaded the debt from the takeover on to the club, before falling out. The future of the club remains unclear, and the coming months show no signs of an obvious end to the power struggle

Now, the All Party Parliamentary Football Group is to launch a new inquiry into English football and its governance, and the Liverpool crisis is one of the areas it will target.

Alan Keen MP, chairman of the group, said: "English club football is enjoying great success in Europe at the moment. Yet many questions remain about the standard of corporate governance and whether it is best equipped to deal, at every level, with the long-term challenges of the game's future.

"This is the focus of the group's new inquiry. The group will examine case studies on governance, including Liverpool FC, where the role of the owners has raised significant public concerns and overshadowed achievements on the field."

Back on the field, Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager, has warned his fringe players they could yet be needed to help the club reach the Champions League final. The Spanish manager is expected to field a second-string team against Birmingham City on Saturday as he rests players for the Champions League semi-final, second leg at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

"I have told the players that it is important for everyone to play well, show quality and be ready, you never know when you will be needed," he said. "So whoever plays against Birmingham, or the weekend after against Manchester City, they have to play well. They may even have a chance to play in the final."

John Arne Riise, scorer of the own-goal that gavn Chelsea a 1-1 draw in the first leg, could be thrust into action at Stamford Bridge as Fabio Aurelio was ruled out for three weeks with a torn abductor muscle.

Benitez said: "Riise knows he has to be ready and give everything for us, he knows he will get his opportunities now. Everybody wants to play every game, I was talking with two or three big names and they said 'I want to play, I want to play' but I will have to analyse each one and then decide.

"The most important thing is the team and the club, so I cannot say 'yes' to everyone. It will mean I am taking risks, and I do not want to take risks. But the players want to play as much as possible, it shows the character and the mentality of the team."