Jürgen Klopp insists that he retains total trust in Daniel Sturridge despite the forward missing his first game as Liverpool manager with a knee problem, the latest in a long line of injuries that have restricted him to only seven Barclays Premier League starts in the past 12 months.
Klopp left Sturridge out of the squad for Liverpool’s goalless draw away to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday because the 26-year-old’s knee had swollen up after a training-ground challenge with Jordon Ibe, the winger, 48 hours earlier.
Klopp’s thinking was influenced by the Liverpool medical department and Sturridge’s well-documented struggles with injury, which have restricted his playing time since the start of last season.
Rather than risk Sturridge when he was not 100 per cent fit, the Liverpool manager erred on the side of caution, particularly after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries to Danny Ings and Joe Gomez, in the hope that the former Chelsea player will recover before a run of 15 games between now and the end of the year.
Klopp is hoping that Sturridge will be fit to face Rubin Kazan, of Russia, in a Europa League group B game on Thursday night, but said that he has no reason to lose trust in the England international.
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“I have known Daniel now for one week and for six days he was perfect in training,” Klopp said.
“Everything we did he was full of power, skills. He was outstanding. So many good things, and then he got this contact with Ibe.
“In another situation I would have talked to him and said, ‘Please try.’ But we can’t in a week of two ACLs. Come on. It is OK for Daniel [to miss this one]. We need Daniel for sure, and if we played the game [against Tottenham] on Thursday then maybe he would play. No problem.
“I trust this player 100 per cent. If Daniel is back then he can play no problem. If he is not then I don’t think about it because if the medics and physiotherapists tell me it is not possible, then it is not possible. I don’t have to discuss it, just think about another solution.”
Klopp’s pragmatic, understanding approach will not prevent the doubts that continue to surround Sturridge, who has become something of a forgotten man for club and country as a result of his unreliability.
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Sturridge has not played for England since injuring a hamstring during a training session with the national team in September last year and he was contacted recently by Roy Hodgson, who urged him to prove his fitness before next month’s friendly internationals against Spain and France.
Significantly, the England manager admitted that he does not feel able to offer Sturridge any guarantees about his status within the national squad before next summer’s European Championship finals because of how long he has been unavailable.
Sturridge by numbers
7 Premier League games that Sturridge has started since signing a new contract last November
59 Games he has missed because of injury since joining Liverpool
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750 Minutes he played in league games last season out of a possible 3,420
94 Starts the 26-year-old has made in his league career
Words by Tony Barrett
• Nacer Chadli will be out for four weeks after a scan showed yesterday that he suffered a partial tear of his ankle ligaments during Tottenham’s draw with Liverpool on Saturday. The Belgium midfielder is expected to miss the Europa League group J matches against Anderlecht, the first of which is on Thursday, as well as the league meetings with Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Arsenal. He hopes to return after the international break. Andros Townsend and Clinton Njié would be expected to fill in. “I will come back stronger,” Chadli said.