Jurgen Klopp Comments on Daniel Sturridge After Liverpool vs. Spurs EFL Cup Tie

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has said he never doubted Daniel Sturridge after the striker scored twice in their EFL Cup win against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday. 

Sturridge's double gave Liverpool a 2-1 win at Anfield to put them into the quarter-finals of the competition, leading Klopp to sing the praises of the England forward after a difficult start to the season.

"That's his potential, talent. That's his strength," Klopp said, per Glenn Price for ESPN FC.

"He's a finisher, a really good striker—no doubt about this. I was never in doubt about him even when he didn't score. It's not a question. We don't have to discuss about quality or something."

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Sturridge has been a figure of frustration on the sidelines for much of the season so far but showed he had not lost any of his finishing ability as a youthful Reds side progressed.

As per the report, the Liverpool boss added:

"

Divock Origi didn't score tonight but I think he played quite well. Danny Ings when he came in didn't score but he played really well when he came in. That's the thing, Daniel [scored] wonderful goals for us — really important. I would say in the right moments he could have scored three or four. It was really good.

"

The relationship between Klopp and Sturridge has at times appeared strained, as noted by David Maddock for the Mirror, who in August outlined the player's annoyance at not being played through the middle in attack.

Sturridge said: "I have to do a job for the team. That’s not saying I am happy to do it. That’s saying I have got to do a job for the team."

But his attitude seemed spot on during Tuesday's cup victory. Indeed, Sturridge's efforts to impress Klopp against Spurs were not lost on pundit Jamie Redknapp, who lavished praise on the player on Sky Sports (h/t Ben Grounds of Mail Online):

"He was a decisive player on the pitch. He's a special talent. We're talking about on his day one of the best forwards in the world, that's how good he is. He needs to do it more often."

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Blessed with pace and good feet, the striker however still needs to show improvement at picking the right option of when to pass and when to shoot. He can often be a source of frustration for supporters over an apparent lack of awareness and poor decision-making.

At times Sturridge can show real imagination in and around the penalty area, skilfully working the best angle to get away an effort on goal. But, as Redknapp states, he is a player in need of regular game-time.

The performance against Spurs will provide Klopp with more food for thought, but it will be up to Sturridge to show he can consistently fit in with the German manager's high-pressing plans at Anfield.