Daniel Sturridge’s Time at Liverpool Could Be Done
By Paul Drake
The Reds striker was hopeful ahead of the Crystal Palace match, last Sunday. He was left off Klopp’s squad and may be out the rest of the season with a nagging hip injury. Daniel Sturridge has not seen the pitch in a match since January.
A once favorite at Anfield, Sturridge has turned into a disappointment. He has three years remaining on his current contract but rumors continue to swirl that Jurgen Klopp may sell him this summer.
According to Andy Hunter at The Guardian, “with a recurrence of a hip injury, raising the prospect he [Sturridge] may have played his final game for the Anfield club.” Sturridge has not remained healthy this season and that has resulted in a disappointing season by the once favored striker.
The Issues Both Mental and Physical Combine
I suspect that part of Sturridge’s issue is his low pain tolerance, combined with a psychological problem that has caused him to spiral. If you watch the Reds striker on the bench, it is obvious that he is not in a good state of mind. That becomes glaring when he runs onto the pitch. Sturridge simply looks lost. He has forgotten how to play the game he loves so well.
This season in the Premier League, Sturridge has made just 16 appearances, scoring two goals, creating nine chances, and passing with a mediocre 72% accuracy. In those 16 appearances, he has only made five starts, that does not show a lot of confidence in him by Klopp.
The problem remains, Sturridge cannot stay healthy. This season he has missed two months with an injury and has essentially has been nonexistent since the Sunderland match in January. In the Sunderland match, the Reds striker scored his last goal, and maybe final goal at Anfield.
Klopp simply favors Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mane. The Reds boss has good reason to favor these three over adding Sturridge. Together these three have scored 34 Premier League goals this season. According to Andy Hunter, with Sturridge receiving the short end of the stick, this will likely allow the Reds striker to leave Liverpool at the end of the season.
Next: Is Klopp right by saying, Liverpool have not blown it?
All statistical information provided by Squawka.com