Daniel Sturridge

Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp has said that winning trophies has never been a motivation factor during his career. The Reds came on the cusp of securing their maiden league title last term but they were beaten to the finish by Manchester City, who managed just one point more during the course of the 2018/19 season.

Still, the Reds managed to shed the disappointment with a sixth Champions League title and that ended a seven-year wait for a trophy. The Merseyside outfit have since won the UEFA Super Cup after getting the better of Chelsea but manager Klopp insists winning matches are more important to him than the trophy cabinet.

Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has pointed out that he has been unimpressed with Liverpool’s defensive resolve during the early stages of the season. The Reds have already played four games across all competitions this term and there has been a surprise from the fact that they have failed to keep a single clean sheet.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Shearer gave the example of the recent game against Southampton, where they were a couple of dodgy moments in the backline. He added to blame Adrian for the poor goal conceded while highlighting that the Reds had conceded 14 attempts on goal which barely happened during the course of the previous campaign, he said: “Tiredness without doubt was there. But they have looked pretty dodgy defensively. Ings closing him down, in the back of the net, poor mistake. They conceded 14 shots today, that only happened once last season.”

Life for Daniel Sturridge at his new club Trabzonspor hasn’t exactly been going according to plan.

The former Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City striker recently moved to the Black Sea on a free transfer, hoping to inject a new lease of life into his career as well as a Trabzonspor side looking to make gains.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has indicated that Rhian Brewster could have an important role to play for the team next season. The teenager has yet to make a competitive appearance for the Reds but he has been highly-rated by the coaching staff at the club and has been fancied to make his first-team debut in the near future.

Speaking in a press conference, Klopp praised the 19-year-oldand said that the forward could feature in some games for the club next term, he said: “I love the boy, he is fantastic player. Why should I play it down? Rhian Brewster is a top striker, he is a top talent and I have told him already that he has an important role this year – but how important depends on him.”

Former Tottenham Hotspur graduate Jamie O’Hara has said that Spurs should take the opportunity to sign Daniel Sturridge this summer. The England international was released from Liverpool following the expiry of his contract last month and since then, he has been widely touted to make the move to Major League Soccer.

Speaking to TalkSPORT, O’Hara said that Spurs should consider the recruitment of Sturridge this summer, given the Englishman can provide the ideal partnership to Harry Kane upfront, should he remain fit for an extended period of time, he told: “Daniel Sturridge is on a free. He could fit in across the front three which Spurs play or a two, Sturridge and Harry Kane up front, if you are playing a diamond with two upfront. If you can get him fit, he’s a great signing surely on a free contract.”

Former Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison has said that Daniel Sturridge has the credentials to play in the Premier League despite his recent release from Liverpool. The England international has had his fair share of injuries over the past five years and that has ultimately urged the Reds to part ways with his services.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Morrison suggested that Sturridge may not be good enough for the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City but he still has the technical ability to suit a team like Arsenal, he said: “I believe Daniel Sturridge is still good enough to play in the Premier League. He’s got great technical ability. Before all of his injuries, for me personally, I think he was the best English striker in the county.

Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge has said that he is focused on the Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur rather than pondering regarding his future at the club. The England international has just one month remaining on his current deal with the Reds and he looks certain to part ways with the team with a contract renewal far from coming.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Sturridge stressed that the focus would be on the entire squad rather than a single individual as the Reds seek to secure their sixth Champions League crown, he said: “To be successful you need to use the squad, everyone has a role to play. If you look over the years at finals that have been played, there have been players who have hardly played any games that have scored goals. Or won tournaments for their countries or won finals for their teams, players who aren’t on the pitch who come on and make a difference as well. So it’s important for everybody to be tuned in to everything that’s needed for the team to be successful next week.”

BBC Sport pundit Danny Mills has said that Daniel Sturridge’s days with Liverpool could be numbered after struggling to garner regular gametime this season. The England international has made most of his 18 league appearances off the bench this term and he could potentially leave on a free with his contract expiring next month.

Speaking on BBC Sport, Mills said that Sturridge can’t compete for a regular role with the Merseyside giants, considering Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are ahead of him in the pecking order. He added that he has lost the zip from his early days with the club and could probably head through the exit door this summer.

TalkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino has said that Liverpool boss Daniel Sturridge has not done Sturridge with any favours amid the recent speculated interest from Leicester City and West Ham United. The England international has remained a bit-part player under Jurgen Klopp for yet another season but he could be available on a free transfer when his contract expires in the summer.

Speaking to TalkSPORT, Cascarino said that the future of Sturridge remains uncertain despite the alleged interest from Premier League sides. He added that Klopp has done Sturridge with no favours, considering he has barely featured for the team over the course of the campaign, he quipped: "It hasn't done him any favours because Jurgen Klopp has used Sturridge and then sort of fell out of favour. Then Origi has become more of a substitution likely than Sturridge."

Daniel Sturridge claims that the return of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from a long-term injury problem is a significant boost for Liverpool going into the business end of the campaign. The Liverpool midfielder picked up a knee injury in the Champions League game against Roma back in April of last season. He was signed from Arsenal only in the summer of 2017 for around £ 35 million. At the time of the injury, it was expected that the midfielder may spend the entire 2018-18 season on the sidelines but his ability to return well ahead of schedule is a major boost.

Even though he is not expected to play an integral role in the last two months of the campaign, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s presence will be a significant choice for the manager to consider. Due to the presence of Liverpool in other cup competitions, Jurgen Klopp needs a lot of squad strength in order to his team to success. After missing out on majority of the cup competitions inKlopp’s time with the club so far, the 2018-19 season so far turning out to be very important with the club challenging for the very first Premier League title in the history. Sturridge has been a fringe player underKlopp but he seems to have become used to this role due to a string of injuries.