Daniel Sturridge surely started the season as an outsider in Liverpool’s starting line-up. With Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah the undisputed first choices at Anfield, Sturridge has the daunting task of dislodging one of the trio for a starting role.
Brought on in the 87th minute in their Premier League opener against West Ham, the English international couldn’t have asked for any better first touch of the season. He had barely gone on the pitch after replacing Salah when he tapped in from a James Milner corner. The goal gave his side a 4-0 victory over the London outfit.
The 29–year old is yet to start a Premier League game this season. He, however, made his first start of the season in the UEFA Champions League against French side Paris-St Germain. It was a good game for the former Chelsea starlet, who scored the first goal to help Liverpool to a 3-2 victory over the French champion.
His only other start of the season came in the Carabao Cup against his former employers Chelsea.
In the 86th minute, Liverpool were on course to their first defeat of the season in the Premier League and a second consecutive defeat to Chelsea in a week. Jürgen Klopp then unleashed the striker to help get something from the match. It turned out to be a wise decision as Sturridge scored a stunner in the 89th minute to snatch a point from Chelsea.
Speaking after the match Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp was very delighted with the 29-year old,
“Thank God he is here. It would be really unlucky for both sides if he was not; he is in the best shape since I’ve known him, since we’ve worked together. Before that, he was in fantastic shape.
“He was always a bit unlucky with injuries and stuff like that; that’s how it is, timing in life is pretty important. Now, the timing is perfect. We need him desperately and he is fit. He is so fit – the fittest Daniel I have known.”
Sturridge so far has made a total of five appearances in the Premier League this season, all as substitute. This amounts to 25 minutes of football with two goals to his name. When one of it become as important as snatching a point from a title rival, it gives any decent coach something to think about.
Several fringe players over the years has become very decisive for their clubs, with Michy Batshuayi a recent example. Daniel Sturridge could yet join this league of players, if he continues scoring crucial goals for the Reds in their title chase this season.
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