Daniel Sturridge Heroics Earn Brendan Rodgers Stay of Execution After Villa Win
There are few better out-and-out centre-forwards in European football than a fully fit Daniel Sturridge, and Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will be relieved after seeing the 26-year-old inspire the Reds to a priceless 3-2 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.
With Rodgers under considerable pressure after a poor start to the 2015/16 campaign, this latest league clash was a must-win fixture—with both Carlo Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp regularly rumoured to be circling the Merseyside hot seat, waiting for the Ulsterman to receive his marching orders from owners John W. Henry and Tom Werner.
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However, an early strike from James Milner and Sturridge's brace secured Liverpool all three points, cancelling out Rudy Gestede's double, allowing the Reds to close in on a remarkable return to the race for a top-four finish.
Liverpool are now two points behind third- and fourth-placed West Ham United and Arsenal, and just five points behind league leaders Manchester United, and Rodgers has Sturridge to thank for this Anfield recovery.
Has Sturridge's timely intervention saved Rodgers' job?
Daniel Sturridge
"We know what Daniel is capable of," Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva told David Lynch of liverpoolfc.com (via LFCTV) after the game, echoing the sentiment of a hoard of Reds supporters who had savoured this return to goalscoring excellence from the striker.
"He's still not 100 percent in terms of fitness and sharpness and I think he coped really well today with 90 minutes. His quality is amazing, he can score goals and that's what we were struggling with."
On the evidence of his time at Anfield, Sturridge's performance on Saturday should have come as no surprise.
Having resurrected his career on moving Merseyside in 2013, Sturridge has shifted from Chelsea outcast to Rodgers' key centre-forward, establishing—as revealed by OptaSports' Twitter channel OptaJoe—himself as the Reds' most-prolific goalscorer in Premier League history:
As Lucas attests, Sturridge possesses an innate finisher's instinct—like Fernando Torres, Luis Suarez, Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler before him—and despite his persistent injury troubles, this class has endured.
Sturridge spent close to six months out of action with a hip injury before returning in Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Norwich City last weekend, but he has now already equalled the two-goal tally of leading goalscorers Danny Ings and Christian Benteke for the 2015/16 campaign.
Sturridge can perhaps relate most closely with Owen, who endured battles for fitness and form throughout his playing career with Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City—the quality is never lost, but every return demands proof that the ability hasn't diminished.
At Anfield on Saturday, Sturridge did so emphatically.
The 26-year-old utilised his pace, power and intelligence to stretch Villa's defensive line—with summer signing Joleon Lescott in particular struggling alongside captain Micah Richards—latching onto creative flourishes from Milner, Ings and Philippe Coutinho and spearheading moves with confidence.
His pair of finishes were of the highest quality, with his first—a left-footed volley from close range—underlining a composure not found in many other strikers in the English top flight.
That Sturridge performed to such a high level despite being short of match fitness—as evidenced by his seven losses of possession—deserves distinction.
However, while this was a top-level performance from the returning centre-forward, Sturridge has the support of his team-mates to thank for this Merseyside triumph.
The Supporting Cast
Rodgers fielded a loose 3-4-1-2 formation at Anfield on Saturday, with a clutch of key tactical tweaks coaxing strong performances across the board.
Chiefly, a shakeup in the balance of his three-man central midfield boosted Liverpool to victory.
Milner's second-minute strike is the perfect example of this, with the stand-in captain performing as an overlapping No. 10 against his former side.
The 29-year-old regularly surged into the 18-yard box to support Sturridge and Ings, providing a useful third-man outlet as well as a key creative presence. Milner made three key passes, the joint-most of any Liverpool player. He also completed 90 percent of his passes and made six tackles—this was the level of performance that made him a priority signing for Rodgers this summer.
Milner's use as the Reds' most advanced midfielder came as a surprise, with the former Manchester City man taking up Coutinho's position—and the Brazilian's switch into a No. 8 role was similarly influential.
Coutinho thrives when the game is played out in front of him, allowing him to thread passes and spring dangerous attacks, and by deploying him in a reserved role in the midfield, Rodgers saw the 23-year-old emulate Barcelona icon Andres Iniesta: Coutinho also made three key passes, registering two assists.
Supported by the bullish Lucas, who is experiencing a remarkable turnaround in fortunes after coming close to joining Turkish giants Besiktas on loan this summer, Milner and Coutinho were able to perform with freedom. Lucas made 11 tackles, thus injecting energy and defensive diligence into Liverpool's midfield.
It was a well-worked structural shift from Rodgers, allowing Sturridge and Ings to trouble the Villa defence without being isolated—with the excellent Alberto Moreno providing further width from a left wing-back position.
Anfield's Henry Jackson described this performance as "a little like [Liverpool's] unforgettable 2013/14 campaign," and while Rodgers' side are a long way from challenging for the Premier League title again, this performance was extremely encouraging on a basic level.
Every Liverpool player performed better with Sturridge leading the line, and while this should be considered a major positive for supporters, Rodgers must not grow to depend on this reality just yet.
Brendan Rodgers
"It is not rocket science. The last time we scored three goals was when [Sturridge] started against Tottenham [in February],” Rodgers told reporters after the game, as reported by the Press Association (h/t This is Anfield), before continuing to praise Sturridge's contribution:
"If you want to compete at the top you need quality. Daniel has shown in his time he is a real top talent. I thought he was outstanding and I was disappointed he didn’t get a hat-trick.
His overall game and touch were outstanding and he had a great combination with Danny Ings.
That is the first time they have started and they showed that understanding that good players have.
"
Being able to call upon Sturridge once again, after a considerable time spent on the sidelines, is a major positive for Rodgers, and his praise his apt.
But in focussing on the 26-year-old's match-winning performance here, the manager once again demonstrated an over-reliance on his most fragile of stars. This is worrying, given the overhaul Rodgers sanctioned for his attacking ranks this summer.
Ings continued to impress at Anfield on Saturday, but that his inclusion came at the expense of the injured Benteke highlights a major flaw in Rodgers' outlook.
Sturridge's intervention against Villa may well have bought Rodgers more time as Henry and Werner assess results as the 2015/16 campaign plays out, but there are bigger tests to come—and that Liverpool's performances have been markedly improved in Benteke's absence should serve to stand against the Ulsterman.
Through no fault of his own, Benteke cut an isolated figure leading the Liverpool attack in the opening games of the season and now faces an uphill battle to regain his place upon his return.
Benteke's comeback is pencilled in for after Liverpool's short trip across Stanley Park to take on Merseyside rivals Everton at the beginning of October, according to Mike Whalley of ESPN FC, and while this win over Villa has granted Rodgers a reprieve, largely thanks to the overriding quality of Sturridge, this Goodison Park clash could be the defining test of his Liverpool career.
Rodgers isn't safe just yet, but Sturridge's Anfield exploits may well have postponed his manager's execution.
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
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