Liverpool vs Watford: Forget Daniel Sturridge, this is Xherdan Shaqiri’s time to shine

Liverpool take on Watford at Vicarage Road on Wednesday night and they might have to do it without Roberto Firmino. But Jurgen Klopp should forget about Daniel Sturridge and focus on Xherdan Shaqiri.

That means either Sturridge, Divock Origi or Shaqiri will be brought into the starting XI as cover for Firmino.

While Sturridge had his chance to influence the outcome of the Manchester United game and Origi came on late, Shaqiri has found game time harder to come by.

And that’s curios, because the Swiss international has been in such good form for the Reds. When he signed from Stoke City this summer, there were a few eyebrows raised but Shaqiri has settled in well and produced the goods.

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However he’s done so largely from the substitutes bench as Klopp’s front three of Sadio Mane, Firmino and Mohamed Salah doesn’t give others the chance to play regularly.

The German boss has also seemed to abandon the idea of playing Shaqiri as a central midfielder, most likely because he can go missing in a defensive sense and was dragged against ? for not performing those duties well enough.

But now Shaq has his chance. Sturridge offered little going forward in the second half against Man Utd and it should be the Powercube who is named in the starting XI against Watford.

This would allow Salah to play centrally, an idea the Liverpool brains trust have tinkered with this season, and put Shaqiri on the right-hand flank.

This is definitely where the Swiss forward is more threatening and is able to cut inside onto his left foot and present a danger to the Watford goal. This would also create space for Trent Alexander-Arnold on the overlap and continue the system that Klopp likes.

Shaqiri may not get many more chances like this for the rest of the season. Let’s hope Klopp goes with Shaq over Sturridge.