Can Daniel Sturridge Gain His Former Glory As He Tries To Re-Establish Himself In The Liverpool Starting XI?
Daniel Sturridge made a blistering start to his Anfield career and his first 18 months at the club were a resounding success. In that time, he managed 35 goals in 49 games. However, in the three years that have followed, he has netted merely 27 goals in 71 games. Injuries and lack of form did limit the player to the sidelines but after a couple of encouraging displays, this could be a good time for Sturridge to re-establish himself at Liverpool.
Manager Jurgen Klopp prefers Roberto Firmino as his No. 9 and is likely to always find room for the Brazilian somewhere in his forward line. That has left Sturridge with limited opportunities to start. So far, he has only come on during cup games when Firmino has been rested or in the fixtures when other attackers have been unavailable.
Having said that, Sturridge proved to be quite influential as he scored against Huddersfield in Liverpool’s recent Premier League encounter and against Maribor in the Champions League as well. Sturridge will be hoping for an opportunity to build on it and launch an attempt to once again become Liverpool’s main striker.
The odds seem stacked against him but if he’s going to force his way back into Klopp’s first choice line-up, this coming week could be his best opportunity to do so. We did see a glimpse of his brilliance last weekend. With Sadio Mane, Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana all sidelined, Sturridge was handed a rare Premier League start and he responded by netting the decisive opener that set the Reds off to a 3-0 win against Huddersfield.
Although the injured trio is expected to come back after the international break, Sturridge does have some time left. He will be hoping to start in Liverpool’s gane against West Ham on Saturday. If selected for that game, he has to take full advantage.
For all strikers, it’s important to get adequate playing time in order to set a rhythm which enables them to produce their best football, and Sturridge will be hoping to get more chances. The player is known for scoring goals in the past and it is quite evident that he loves doing so.
Sturridge hasn’t been a regular starter for a long time but to be fair, he can’t be happy about not playing, simply because he’s not done enough to have grievances. With that being said, this is an ideal chance for him to do better. However, it remains to be seen as to whether he steps up to the plate or not.