Daniel Sturridge Says He Is 'Not Worried' over Claims He Plays Selfish Football

Liverpool and England striker Daniel Sturridge has defended his playing style, saying he’s far from the selfish footballer many make him out to be and "not worried" about the perception.

As reported by Dominic King of the Daily Mail, the forward has been criticised for hogging possession in the past, particularly during England’s 0-0 draw with Slovenia last month. However, Sturridge has defended his work on the ball.

“I'm not worried about what other people say about me,” the 26-year-old said, per King. “It's not fair, it's not fair. I feel that I contribute to the team. I assist, I score goals. It doesn't matter what people say about me.”

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While there may be question marks over some areas of Sturridge’s game, when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net, he’s one of the best around. And he did exactly that for the Three Lions on Friday night, opening the scoring in the 3-0 victory over Scotland.

As we can see courtesy of OptaJoe, the striker has excelled in front of goal as of late for the England national team:

However, his playing style has received extra scrutiny this season due to the system being deployed by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp at club level.

The German has used Roberto Firmino as the team’s centre-forward, supported by the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Sadio Mane and Adam Lallana. As such, Sturridge has been on the bench for the Reds for much of the campaign, failing to find the net in the Premier League as of yet.

Without Sturridge up top, Liverpool may not carry a poaching goal threat, but they’re more industrious, slicker in their movement and more cohesive in the way opponents are pressed. With the Reds top of the league, the success of this system speaks for itself.

And while Liverpool may lack a striker who sniffs out goals, their attacking play has been sensational since Klopp took over, per the Match of the Day Twitter feed:

Sturridge has also admitted he’s trying to add facets to his game, explaining why he looks to retreat into deeper positions at times.

“If I drop deep and get on the ball, do skills and take people on, then there is nobody up front and that is where I need to be,” he explained. “I need to be between the lines, threatening the centre-halves, pushing them and creating space for other people. It is about being involved in the game as much as possible.”

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In the last three Premier League seasons, Sturridge has managed to accumulate three assists in total, which isn’t a figure that paints a picture of a selfless player. However, in 2013-14, his best term in a Liverpool shirt, he grabbed seven in addition to 21 goals, forming a devastating partnership with Luis Suarez.

Ian Ladyman of the Daily Mail recently summed up why Klopp prefers Firmino up top to the Liverpool man, though:

For so long it was problems with fitness that held Sturridge back, and Liverpool suffered badly as a result. The striker looks to have overcome the worst of his injury issues, although it seems as though the Reds have forged a system that is no longer dependent on the forward, which is no great surprise given his long absences.

As such, now it’s the former Chelsea man’s turn to adapt, at least if he wants to make a major impact at Anfield under Klopp. Thriving with England, continuing to develop as a player and improving his application off the ball are all steps in the right direction.