Brendan Rodgers Believes Daniel Sturridge Absence Cost Liverpool Champions

We’d seen it, he had obviously seen it, so it was impossible to ignore.

Sturridge, who was out for five months after undergoing hip surgery, highlighted his importance to the club after he scored a brace in the Reds’ 3-2 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, their first Premier League victory in more than a month.

Sion are now fifth in the Swiss Super League, having played 10 games and won four.

That is not the only statistic that damns him, adds Tweedale, who points out that Liverpool’s possession stats have fallen every season under Rodgers.

Sturridge’s injury woes were an unwelcome part in the disappointments of last season, as he made just 12 starts in all competitions and missed the entirety of the Reds’ abrupt Champions League campaign. That is still arguably the case but fortunately for Brendan Rodgers, the 26-year-old is capable of producing moments of inspiration on his own.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp has revealed his admiration for Christian Benteke and Philippe Coutinho, insisting he actually loves the latter, as per Sky Sports (via the Liverpool Echo). Despite a low-key first-half, he burst into life after the break and fired two sublime goals within ten minutes to help Rodgers’ side to a crucial three points. “Question of whether the club he manages are giving him, or his potential replacements, the best possible chance to succeed is in danger of being lost in the clamour for change”, writes ony Barrett in the Times.

Since Sturridge joined Liverpool in January 2013, his side has won 61% of the fixtures in which he has played. All of a sudden, he doesn’t turn into a bad manager, it’s fine margins. Rodgers went from Suarez and Sturridge to Balotelli and Lambert, so it’s hardly surprising they weren’t as successful on the pitch last season.

“The rest of his game doesn’t involve too much but he makes a massive difference at that end of the pitch for Liverpool“.

That was just the tonic required after League Two Carlisle took Liverpool to penalties at Anfield in the Capital One Cup.