Gray and Keys: Sturridge must prove worth

Sport360 staff 05:54 21/11/2015
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  • Fit again: Daniel Sturridge.

    Jurgen Klopp suffered his first defeat as Liverpool manager as bogey side Crystal Palace struck misery into the Reds once again before the international break.

    They face the unenviable task of taking on league front-runners Manchester City today. Andy Gray and Richard Keys, who front beIN Sports’ Premier League coverage, examine the German’s initial impact and striker Daniel Sturridge’s future at Anfield.

    Andy Gray: It will take some time of course for Klopp to get Liverpool playing the way he wants. We all knew that. When his Borussia Dortmund were playing at their best, it was high tempo, high pressing and full of energy and commitment.

    Instilling that won’t happen overnight. It will take January and the summer for him to shape the team but regardless, we’ll see them evolve this year.

    Where he has made an instant impact is at the back. It’s been their Achilles heel in recent seasons and there’s been a marked improvement in that department.

    There’s no Mamadou Sakho but, in theory, bringing in Dejan Lovren shouldn’t make them any more susceptible. He’s found it tough but this is a good opportunity for him to remind people what a good player he was at Southampton.

    We’re not sure how City will set-up against them given the question marks over Sergio Aguero’s participation, whether it be from the start or not. They are a little bit short in that department but Manuel Pellegrini has so much talent and threat elsewhere on pitch they’ll give Klopp’s side plenty to worry about.

    It’s going to be a tough ask and I imagine they’ll be on the back foot for much of the game. One man who is certain to be at the forefront is Raheem Sterling. The boy has settled in so well, it’s been seamless. Both he and Kevin De Bruyne are the future of City and these are the games they have to step up in.

    In the past a big game player for the Reds has been Daniel Sturridge. His potential return is big… if he can stay fit. I just don’t get it with him, though. When you look at him you see a hugely talented footballer but it’s almost like if he’s not 100 per cent fit, he doesn’t play.

    When you’re a footballer you sometimes have to play when you’re not completely fit but with Daniel he seems reluctant to do that if he has niggle. There’s a new manager to impress and he has Euro 2016 as well, so the incentive is there, he has a lot of making up to do though and that may start from tonight.

    However, I favour City for this one because Liverpool could struggle against their pace going forward. 3-1.

    Richard Keys: It was inevitable that Klopp was going to have an impact. But what the defeat at Crystal Palace will have shown him is the enormity of the task ahead.

    Quite simply, Liverpool are not very good. The suggestion of a title challenge after the Chelsea victory was farcical in my eyes. Going forward, they will improve but only if they allow Klopp the freedom to buy and sell who he wants.

    And for me one of the first out of the door is Sturridge. The striker has been a massive disappointment. If you look at his career he has had one season in which he’s reached his potential and I have to question his appetite.

    From what I hear and what I conclude, I just don’t think he wants to play when he’s not 100 per cent and that’s not acceptable.

    Now, whether Klopp can bring the best out of him remains to be seen but I think the German would be happy to see the back of him.

    With the current squad they might, and I stress might, put a run together for fourth, but in reality sixth or seventh is more likely. It’s for that reason that I think they’ll get beat by City. 2-0

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