Daniel Sturridge pinpoints Liverpool’s summer mistake that’s fuelling their slump after Chelsea defeat
Liverpool’s faltering form has left more questions than answers, and Daniel Sturridge believes one crucial summer decision is proving costly for the champions as they look to halt their early-season slide.
Arne Slot’s side slipped to a third consecutive defeat at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, losing 2-1 to Chelsea in stoppage time.
The defeat saw them surrender top spot in the table to Mikel Arteta’s side and extended their winless run in all competitions to three matches.
For Sturridge, who won the Champions League and Premier League during his six-and-a-half-year stay at Anfield, the reasons for Liverpool’s struggles run deeper than tactical tweaks or individual errors.
Speaking on Sky Sports, the former striker pointed to the decision to sell Luis Díaz to Bayern Munich as a key turning point in Liverpool’s attacking balance.
Liverpool broke the British transfer record twice in the summer, bringing in Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz in deals that underlined their ambition to refresh the squad following back-to-back title challenges. Yet Sturridge believes no amount of big-money signings can fully compensate for the unique qualities Díaz brought to the team.
The Colombian winger has already made a dream start at Bayern Munich, bagging five goals and four assists in six Bundesliga appearances.
Sturridge told Sky Sports at Stamford Bridge: “Luis Diaz is a massive miss for me,” the ex-Liverpool forward expressed “When you look at Liverpool last year and how they used to press, I think arguably he was the one who would set the press in the front three.
“[Dominik] Szoboszlai would do it in the midfield with that power and dynamism that he has. For me, Luis Diaz, how tenacious he is on the ball and how hungry he is to get it back for his team. He brought something to Liverpool that they are now missing.
“I think [Hugo] Ekitike and [Alexander] Isak and [Florian] Wirtz work hard, I’m not saying they don’t. We can’t question their work rate or their quality. But what I will say is that they’re attack-minded players.”
Díaz was not just a winger who could chip in with goals and assists. Under Jürgen Klopp, and later Slot during the title-winning run-in last season, he was often the trigger for Liverpool’s high press, setting the tone with his relentless energy on the right flank.
That work ethic created turnovers high up the pitch and allowed Liverpool’s midfield and defence to squeeze opponents.
Without him, Sturridge believes there’s been a noticeable drop in intensity and cohesion in Liverpool’s front line.
“I think with Diaz would sacrifice himself defensively,” he said. “That’s what they’ve got to figure out now, who in that attack is going to give themselves up a little bit. In a front three, there always has to be one guy who goes, ‘I’m not stats hungry.’”
The former England international also pointed to a lack of clarity in the front three’s structure, something he believes is currently undermining Liverpool’s attacking rhythm.
He continued: “You see [Cody] Gakpo this year scoring more goals, [Mohamed] Salah scoring less, the new strikers want to hit the ground running.
“So I think, Jamie [Redknapp] questioned the balance in the midfield, but I also think it’s in the front three.
“It’s important to understand which one of three is going to be the workhorse, who’s going to be the one who does what he wants and who’s going to be a hybrid of both. Right now, I’m not sure the manager knows what he’s going to do.”
This uncertainty was clear in the defeat at Stamford Bridge, where Liverpool lacked their usual fluency in the final third. Salah was largely contained by Marc Cucurella, while Isak and Gakpo struggled to combine with the kind of fluidity that defined Liverpool’s attack last season.
Sturridge also took issue with Slot’s decision not to start Florian Wirtz against Chelsea. The £116m summer signing has been slow off the mark at Liverpool, but Sturridge still believes he would have offered his team something Dominik Szoboszlai did not.
He added: “I think today’s the type of game you need a Wirtz. Someone who can create something, get the ball in his feet, move it, advance it, maybe win a free-kick.
“Szoboszlai gives you that running and pressing power, but these are the games they signed Wirtz for; the quality on the ball he brings is exceptional.”
Liverpool’s midfield has come under scrutiny in recent weeks, but Sturridge’s assessment suggests that the bigger issue might be further forward, where Liverpool are still searching for a settled formula post-Díaz.
Liverpool now head into the international break in second place, with Arsenal overtaking them at the summit of the Premier League. Slot and his coaching staff have two weeks to regroup, reassess their attacking combinations and address the structural issues that have emerged in recent games.
The Dutchman will be under pressure to find solutions quickly, with a run of crucial fixtures awaiting Liverpool after the break.
