Daniel Sturridge Hits Back at Drake Party Rumours Amid Liverpool Injury Recovery

Daniel Sturridge has denied claims he has been partying with Canadian rapper Drake during his rehabilitation trip to Los Angeles.

The Liverpool striker was recently granted permission to carry out warm-weather training in the United States to aid his recovery from recurring thigh problems, as reported by Carl Markham of the Press Association (via the Daily Mail). 

However, Pete Samson of The Sun (subscription required) released a report saying the Englishman "partied with Drake" until "the early hours," per Markham. Sturridge vented his fury and denied such claims with a response on Twitter: 

Brendan Rodgers provided an official quote to highlight exactly why Sturridge has travelled abroad, as noted by Liverpool's social media feed:

The Mail Online provided an image of Sturridge meeting Drake during a previous visit:

Sturridge hasn't played for Liverpool since August. He originally sustained a thigh injury on international duty with the Three Lions, a problem "which could have been prevented," according to Rodgers, who signalled his frustration to talkSPORT, per Reuters (h/t the Daily Mail).

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The Northern Irish manager suggested his two-day recovery schedule—which provides speedy players with an extra day's rest—would have minimalised the risk of Sturridge sustaining a problem. Rodgers has seen the forward suffer a further two thigh problems since, one on each leg, taking his career total to nine at just the age of 25.

His absence has been humbling for Liverpool, who continue to struggle in the Premier League. Sturridge scored once in three appearances before his layoff, a total which is yet to be surpassed by Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert in the domestic division, per WhoScored.com.

As such, Liverpool are currently six points adrift of qualifying for next season's Champions League. Former striker and B/R UK guest columnist Stan Collymore believes reassessing the attacking situation could be key to fixing the side's chances of success:

Sturridge hit a terrific haul of 21 goals alongside Luis Suarez last season. Much of the Reds' hopes are pinned on the former Chelsea man now that Suarez has departed, but without him, Liverpool's forward play is sluggish. Sturridge provides his midfielders with a runner to find and injects pace with possession at his feet—two attributes which are sorely missing right now.

He is an often-clinical finisher, someone who scores all types of goals to lift his side in tight fixtures. Much of the onus to deliver match-winning moments is shifted to Raheem Sterling in Sturridge's absence, a situation which exposes the youngster to pressure. This is a complete change to last year, which saw both forwards play joyfully and with confidence.

It would be no surprise to see Liverpool's performances lifted with Sturridge's return after Christmas. Headlines surrounding his social activities will only serve to frustrate a player who faces the real possibility of having his career continually interrupted through repeat injuries.

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Although Sturridge is prone to lapses in concentration on the pitch, his ability to penetrate the opposition's defence would expand the tepid game currently offered by Rodgers' men. Similar to Manchester City constantly losing Sergio Aguero with niggling problems, his fitness can significantly impact where Liverpool finish this season.