Ian Rush knows a thing or two about sticking the ball in the back of the net. So when the Liverpool legend says the red-hot Daniel Sturridge can become a Kop great, you listen.
Rush is Liverpool's all-time record scorer having netted 346 goals during two spells with the club, and is a big admirer of the man currently entrusted with leading the Reds forward line.
Sturridge has enjoyed a terrific start to the new campaign, scoring four goals in as many games, to fire unbeaten Liverpool to top of the Premier League with three wins and draw.
The England international appears to be relishing the responsibility of spearheading the Reds attack in the absence of the suspended Luis Suarez. And Rush is convinced there is a lot more to come from the 24-year-old.
"I think Daniel is fantastic. He can do anything," Rush told Sport360°. "He's very skilful and the ball and is a tremendous finisher. He's now free from injury and I think he's only going to get better at Liverpool Football Club.
"He has the faith of the manager and the players and most importantly, he's playing regularly. He wasn't doing that at Manchester City or Chelsea. I only see him getting better."
Rush's view closely mirrors that of former Chelsea sporting director Frank Arnesen, the man responsible for taking a young Sturridge to Stamford Bridge back in 2009.
While things did not work out as Sturridge would have hoped in West London, Arnesen was suitably impressed: "No doubt about it, he's a goalscorer. A big talent, he's quick, has a great left foot and he scores goals. He has everything."
Rush is a frequent visitor to Liverpool's Melwood training ground and having seen Sturridge at close quarters, he believes Suarez faces a fight to reclaim his first-team place, at least his favoured central role.
"I think Daniel is performing well, and will rightly be disappointed if Luis comes back into the team right away and takes his position.
"That said, good players with football brains will want to interchange and cause problems for the opposition. Will Suarez be happy on the right-hand side, who knows?
"But Brendan [Rodgers] has that flexibility and with Coutinho in there as well, not to mention Victor Moses, there is a real fluidity to Liverpool's attack which is exciting as a fan."
Much was made of Suarez's future during the summer after the Uruguayan publicly declared his desire to leave the club, courting interest from both Real Madrid and Arsenal, who failed with two bids for the 26-year-old.
Rush, though, holds no grudges against the striker, who was the club's top scorer last season with 30 goals in all competitions, and has backed him to win over the fans again.
"I thought the owners were brilliant the way they handled the whole affair. Absolutely superb. They made it clear that he's a Liverpool player, that no-one is bigger than the club and that they weren't prepared to sell to a rival club.
"It's similar to what Manchested United did with Wayne Rooney. They told him 'You're going to go and you're going to fight for your place'.
"I still think the supporters will get behind him because you know with Suarez he will still give 100 per cent to the cause. He's a fighter and I'm looking forward to seeing him back playing again."
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