FA grant Sturridge bet charge extension SILVA’S GOLDEN RULES
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THE FA have given Daniel Sturridge until February to respond to his charge for breaching betting rules. Sturridge was initially given eight days to provide an answer to the governing body after being caught up in the storm on November 12. The charge is in relation to bets placed in January of this year around the time he left Liverpool to join West Bromwich Albion on loan. The FA had been investigating Sturridge for more than eight months but he made a request for an extension last Wednesday. Now the FA have set a date for wanting an answer, Sturridge must meet the deadline. Had the FA deemed Sturridge a threat to the integrity of the game, they could have made a request of their own for an interim suspension but that was never considered and the 29-year-old will be available for tomorrow’s Merseyside derby. It is a game of great significance for Liverpool, who need to rally after their midweek loss to Paris Saint-Germain. Jurgen Klopp has won three and drawn one of his four Anfield fixtures against Everton but recognises this will be a different test. ‘Marco Silva has the best Everton squad,’ said Klopp. ‘They brought in players he wanted. Richarlison, what a player; last year already Theo Walcott came in. This year Bernard came in, Andre Gomes, Yerry Mina. Now it’s the best tuned squad. ‘One year ago Wayne Rooney came back, Gylfi Sigurdsson came, they said they could not play because of lack of speed. But everything is there. They have Seamus Coleman back and fit, Michael Keane settled and fit. ‘Mina is a brilliant player and Digne is like a young Leighton Baines. And England’s No 1 Jordan Pickford in goal, so it’s a proper squad.’ Klopp insists he has no issue about the way his midfield is functioning and made the prediction that his near £100million investment in Naby Keita and Fabinho will pay dividends. ‘Same time next year we will all talk about Naby and Fabinho like we talked last year about Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain,’ said Klopp. ‘We always asked, “what about Ox”? Maybe you did not ask much because nobody expected much, they thought that he was too expensive.’