5 players who are lucky to be playing for Liverpool

#2 Daniel Sturridge

Daniel Sturridge doesn't seem to fit Jurgen Klopp's playing style

In terms of actual talent, you can’t really question the skills of striker Daniel Sturridge. Many people would argue that he’s the most natural finisher in England – even ahead of Harry Kane – and in 2013/14 he was simply outstanding, scoring 21 Premier League goals in 29 games alongside his equally deadly partner Luis Suarez. But since that season he’s struggled to replicate that form, or come anywhere close. And it’s not due to the loss of Suarez, as he’s shown flashes of brilliance since, but it’s more due to his fitness and his playing style.

2014/15 saw him injured for the majority of the season and he only made 12 appearances in the Premier League. The subsequent two seasons have seen him feature a little more – 2015/16 saw him appear 14 times, and he increased that to 20 in 2016/17, but 13 of those appearances last season came from the bench.

His goals have dried up too – a meagre three in the Premier League was his return last season. The problem for him has largely been that Klopp employs a far different attacking style from his predecessor Brendan Rodgers, meaning that fleet-footed forwards like Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have been preferred to the England striker.

Sturridge is still a tremendous natural finisher – witness his goal for England against Wales at Euro 2016 – but his injury problems and the form of his rivals (Mohamed Salah, in particular, this season) have restricted him to the point where realistically, he’s lucky to still be part of the squad at Anfield. And with current rumours flying around that the club will be looking to offload him this month – and the suitors probably coming from outside of the Premier League’s top six – his luck may well be about to run out.