Daniel Sturridge’s former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has advised the striker to wait patiently for more opportunities and not consider leaving the club yet…
When Gerrard was at the club, Sturridge was lethal, contributing goals aplenty in his first season and a half at the club. His well publicised injuries stunted his progression, but since Jurgen Klopp took over, his form seems to have taken a downward style even when fit.
Sturridge played last night against Plymouth in the FA Cup, but he failed to get into the game alongside the kids and trudged off grumpily when subbed late on.
SEE MORE:
Legend Rivaldo irritates Liverpool fans with these unwanted Coutinho comments
In terms of the Premier League, the Englishman, now 27, the prime age for a forward, has started just five games in 2016/17 – nowhere near enough for a player of his supposed calibre.
“Only he knows whether he’s happy, whether he’s frustrated or whether he wants to go somewhere else and challenge himself,” Gerrard said on BT Sport, cited in the Guardian. “But Liverpool aren’t going to let him go for cheap. Liverpool need him. He scores goals when he plays, his minutes-to-goals ratio is incredible.
“I’m sure if someone came along with a huge, huge offer and Daniel wanted it there could be a solution there, but as it stands right now Liverpool need Daniel Sturridge and I can’t see him going anywhere short term.”
“He’s capable of world-class moments and performances and I think Liverpool are on the verge of something really big under this manager,” the 36-year-old said.
“Maybe he is frustrated from week to week but there’s a great chance he could get silverware with Liverpool in the near future. If I were him I’d be patient. I think there’s good things on the horizon.”
Rightly when everyone is fit, Roberto Firmino is our first-choice ‘no.9’ – although he plays the role in a very modern way. That’ll be the deal until the end of the campaign, but Sturridge will have a part to play from the bench or when certain players are unavailable. Until he proves to Klopp he’s a must-start, this will continue.
If Sturridge doesn’t become a scoring regular before the end of the season, we can see him moving onto pastures new this summer – as much as it pains us to say.