Liverpool legend Dietmar Hamann surprisingly suggests dropping star player

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Dietmar Hamann has backed Raheem Sterling to start up front against Manchester United…

Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has surprisingly suggested that Daniel Sturridge should not start against Manchester United on Sunday, and has backed Raheem Sterling to instead get the nod up front.

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Sterling started up front in our last ‘big game’ against Manchester City earlier this month, and the German believes that he should do again, with Sturridge still suffering from a lack of fitness.

Sturridge returned from a near five month injury lay-off at the end of January, and has still only made 15 first-team appearances so far this season.

According to Hamann, Sturridge needs more time to return to top form, and should not be risked in such a crucial game, with huge top four implications.

The 2005 Champions League winner, who was quoted by the Daily Mirror, said: “I would not be surprised to see Sterling play up top, with Sturridge on the bench.”

“I don’t think Daniel is quite at 100 per cent yet, so I think it would be good to have him as a real weapon on the bench for the last half hour, and let Sterling stretch the United defence to start with.

“If you think back to the game at Old Trafford, that was the first time we really saw Sterling used as a striker. And though we lost the game, we created more chances than we had all season, really, and he made a big difference.

“I think he’s played that role beautifully since. It changes everything when you have that pace up front, because you can stretch the game. It would be a big call to leave Sturridge out, but I just think Sterling may be the way to go.”

Liverpool could move above Manchester United into fourth place with three points at Anfield this weekend, but are likely to face a reinvigorated United side, who put in their best performance of the season last time out – beating Tottenham Hotspur 3-0.

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