Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was hoping to have striker Daniel Sturridge at his disposal when the Reds host Southampton on Sunday, but the new boss is quickly learning that things are never that straight-forward when it comes the perpetually injured 26-year old.
“With Daniel’s injury we have to see day by day. Maybe it’s a little bit better, if he can train tomorrow, then he’s an option,” explained the German manager in his pre-match press call earlier today. “Because the break [between games] is not long now, we don’t have to talk about being a starter, but he’s an option,” he continued before confirming that Sturridge’s knee problem is far from resolved. “Today he has more treatment, another scan maybe, because there is a little bit of fluid.”
Sitting out Klopp’s first match in charge following a collision with team-mate Jordon Ibe in training, Sturridge watched from the stands as Liverpool ran out a scoreless draw with Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on the weekend and he was also in attendance for the 1-1 draw with Rubin Kazan in the Europa League yesterday — a match that was crying out for a player of his many splendored talents.
Holding a man advantage for over 50-minutes, the Reds spent almost the entirety of the second half camped out in the visitors end, but failed to find the breakthrough. Although Sturridge’s fitness remains dodgy at best, the German boss was given a boost ahead of Sunday’s meeting with the Saints as big money signings Christian Benteke, who was the width of the post away from finding the back of the net, and Roberto Firmino, who came on with just over 15-minutes left to play, returned to action for the first time in three-weeks, making cameo appearances off the bench against the Tartars.
