Stoke set to offer Sturridge the world

LIONS captain Sam Warburton has been awarded an OBE in the New Year honours list along with England Women’s cricket skipper Heather Knight. Warburton, left, led the Lions in the drawn Test series against New Zealand last summer.

Knight receives her OBE for services to cricket following England’s victory in the World Cup last summer. Team coach Mark Robinson also collects an OBE, while bowler Anya Shrubsole and Kent’s Tammy Beaumont both receive the MBE.

Former Scotland rugby union captain Ian McLauchlan becomes an MBE. “I see it as an honour to myself, my family and Scottish rugby in general because that is what it’s all about,” said the 75-year-old former loosehead prop, who was nicknamed ‘Mighty Mouse’. Ed Morrison, England’s first full-time professional rugby union referee, also collects an OBE.

Former Manchester United youth-team coach Eric Harrison, who helped to develop the club’s Class of 92 – including Paul Scholes, Gary and Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham – receives an MBE.

Paralympian Stef Reid, who won silver in the T44 long jump at London 2012 and Rio 2016, is also awarded an MBE. STOKE are ready to throw Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge a World Cup lifeline.

Mark Hughes is interested in taking the £120,000-a-week star on loan even though injury-prone Sturridge, below, has made just five league starts this season and failed to convince Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp he is worth a regular slot.

He has fallen down the pecking order at Anfield and is now facing a fight to keep alive his dream of being part of Gareth Southgate’s England plans for Russia. Stoke would be prepared to try to broker a deal to land either the 28-year-old or his team-mate Danny Ings. Ings is back in contention after suffering two serious knee injuries since his £8million move from Burnley two and a half years ago. Hughes believes Stoke can prove an attractive proposition to players with a point to prove – particularly those from big clubs in the North-west so they could commute easily.

Hughes said: “We feel we’re a top-10 Premier League club and that resonates with players. Players look at us in a different light these days and would like to come