Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock has told Radio Five Live that Jurgen Klopp has a “world class” £50million reserve in Daniel Sturridge.
The 28-year-old marked his first start of the season with an emphatic header in the Merseyside giants’ 3-2 Champi9ns League win over Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.
Warnock has spoken of what a huge asset Liverpool have in Sturridge even though he has been on the fringes of the team in recent years, partly due to his injury history.
“In pre-season, when Reds boss Jurgen Klopp wanted to see him fit and hungry, his attitude was exactly right. I watched him a lot and his performances were impressive too,” Warnock has told Radio Five Live, as quoted by the BBC Sport website.
“When you get Daniel fit and firing, you cannot ignore him. We are talking about having a £50m player at your disposal because he is potentially a world-class striker.
“If Liverpool are going to challenge on multiple fronts this season then Daniel Sturridge is going to play a big part for them.
“Yes, he might not give you the work-rate off the ball that you get from Roberto Firmino, who is incredibly clever with the way he presses the opposition.
“But Sturridge brings something different to the team in that he is a natural talent on the ball as well.”
OPINION
Does Sturridge’s A-list talent compensate for a terrible attendance record and a playing style at odds with the aggressive pressing style that is Klopp’s religion? There is no doubt about the technique and skill of the striker, who is capable of doing what few forwards in the Premier League can. He also has a gift for being in the right place at the right time, as he showed with his goal against PSG. But it is almost absurd that Sturridge was starting his first Champions League match for the club last night. He has been sidelined so often and for so long that it makes it even more frustrating he is not a first-team regular at an elite club. That said, Sturridge can still have a big role to play this season. Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane cannot start every match and there will be plenty of rotation from Klopp over the course of the campaign. The key is that Studge is available and fit when required. He could score 15-plus goals and be a huge asset.