Daniel Sturridge Devastated as Steven Gerrard Slams Liverpool After Basel Loss

Daniel Sturridge has expressed his disappointment at Liverpool's Champions League draw with Basel—a result which sees the Reds eliminated—on a night Steven Gerrard summed up by saying "I don't think we deserved better."

Brendan Rodgers' team needed an Anfield win to confirm their passage into the last 16, a feat which appeared almost impossible when Fabian Frei brilliantly provided Basel with the lead after 25 minutes of dominance for the Swiss visitors.

Lazar Markovic was then controversially sent off just after half-time for catching Behrang Safari with a loose hand, but Gerrard's wonderful free-kick set up a grandstand finish.

As highlighted by Sturridge's tweet, a last-gasp success wasn't to be:

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Although Gerrard believes the sending off was "harsh," the Liverpool captain offered no excuses. Tuesday's result was the culmination of a poor European season in which the players underperformed and Rodgers failed to deploy the most suitable team for each situation.

David Maddock of the Mirror reported Gerrard's comments:

"

I still knew after I scored that it was going to be difficult with 10 men and running out of time, but it gave us some hope and, as the manager said, the first half was not good enough and we had to go down fighting.

I don’t think we deserved better. We have not gone out because of this performance, we weren’t good enough away to Basel and we let in a silly goal away to Ludogorets. You qualify over six games and we have not been good enough.

"

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One has to feel for Sturridge. The English striker netted 21 goals en route to the Champions League last season, but he failed to make an appearance in Europe's elite competition due to injury. He will now need to settle for the Europa League, a competition in which the journeys are more arduous and financial rewards far less beneficial.

Rodgers outlined a major worry after the game, per Ian Herbert of The Independent:

Liverpool are currently six points adrift of the Champions League places in the Premier League. Their next trip is a tricky Old Trafford tie with Manchester United, a team who haven't played much better in recent times. Despite this, Louis van Gaal's men are on a five-game winning run and should exude confidence in front of their local support.

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Investment is needed for Liverpool, although football writer Duncan Castles questioned whether Rodgers is the man to do it:

The priority now must be finishing fourth in the domestic division. Liverpool simply cannot afford to lose ground on their rivals by failing to return to the Champions League. Although a Europa League run is always worth putting together, the long-term success of the club hinges on competing against the very best.

Gerrard knows this, and as he wakes up on Wednesday morning, may come to the realisation he could have played his last Champions League game in front of the Kop.