Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool Future Hinges on Daniel Sturridge

After an underwhelming season, a fissure of increasing width has split Liverpool fans into two camps about their manager Brendan Rodgers’ future.

Some, still enamoured with the former Swansea boss’ achievements last season, believe he has proven his abilities and deserves time. The other side argues that Liverpool’s second-placed finish last term was a result of Luis Suarez’s goals and Rodgers failed to adequately replace the Uruguayan last summer.

In reality, Rodgers' task has been made doubly difficult by Daniel Sturridge's injury-addled season. Last term, he contributed 21 goals and seven assists. This season, he has managed just four goals and one assist, a huge shortfall.

Not only that but the psychological effect he had on opposition defences undoubtedly provided additional space and time for team-mates. Overall, Liverpool have scored 50 goals in 36 games this season—at the same point last season, they had netted 96 times.

Rodgers’ chosen replacement for Suarez—Mario Balotelli—has a very different playing style to the Uruguayan, but his lack of movement would have been considerably less noticeable had he been flanked by both Sturridge and Raheem Sterling.

Liverpool have often looked blunt, and despite the excellent form of Philippe Coutinho and Sterling, it’s clear that they have missed a focal point in attack. While Rodgers would probably have anticipated losing Suarez last summer, Sturridge’s absence has been as unexpected as it has been devastating.

With Liverpool's transfer committee undoubtedly already focused on summer targets, Rodgers is in a truly invidious position: Does he keep faith that Sturridge's injury woes will be a thing of the past after his hip operation in America, or does he cut his losses and start looking for a new star striker?

It's an extremely difficult question to answer. Money is not as abundant at Liverpool as it is at other clubs, and the club's lack of competitiveness this season will worry any potential recruits. However, with Sturridge already due to miss the entirety of pre-season and the start of next season, per the Independent, can Liverpool afford another season of waiting?

The route that Rodgers ultimately takes will be one chosen partly through foresight and partly through luck, and whichever way he chooses, this summer will have a critical bearing on his future at the helm. Liverpool's owners and fans are unlikely to accept another season like this one, and it's hard to see the Reds bettering their current levels of performance without adding considerable firepower up front, particularly if the Sterling contract situation proves irredeemable, as reported by BBC Sport.

However, there is also the case to be made that any big-money signings Rodgers makes will only increase the scrutiny on his position. The money from Suarez's transfer has been invested poorly, particularly up front—Balotelli cost £16 million and has managed one league goal, while the club also splashed £10 million on Divock Origi, who has spent the season at Lille has managed just eight goals in 31 appearances in Ligue 1.

One more high-profile flop could be too much for the Liverpool board to take.

Whether he decides to rely on Sturridge or seek to replace him, it's difficult to envisage a scenario in which Rodgers' fate at Anfield isn't at least partially determined by his choice.