LIVERPOOL v EVERTON Sturridge fits bill... for now
JURGEN KLOPP has alerted clubs eyeing a January swoop for Daniel Sturridge by revealing: “He’s as fit as he’s been for a long time.” Newcastle and West Ham are both keen to explore the possibility of a loan move for 28-year-old Sturridge (left) until the end of the season. Sam Allardyce, boss of today’s derby rivals Everton, is also in the hunt for a striker but a move across Stanley Park would pose too many problems. Klopp said: “Physically Daniel is in the best shape since I came. But there is absolutely nothing to say about the transfer window. And I’m not interested in it even though it is December.
“Until the window opens we still have five or six games to play, then we will see how that will be.
“Tomorrow there could be one injury and Daniel could play the next five or six games. So there’s nothing else to say.
“For all sessions he is always in, always spot-on.
“Obviously there are a few players around him who are not that bad as well!
“I was really happy with his impact when he came on in his last game against Spartak.
“With the fantastic level the team plays, that’s how it should be.” ASHLEY WILLIAMS has opened up about the pain of Everton’s disastrous start to the season, admitting, “It was so bad I didn’t even want to do the school run.”
The Everton defender declared Match of the Day ‘off limits’, and found it tough to face shell-shocked fans who were bewildered by a collapse no one had seen coming.
But as Williams and Everton make the short hop across Stanley Park for today’s Merseyside derby against Liverpool, the bounce is back in the Welshman’s step – and there’s light at the end of the tunnel for him and Evertonians.
The arrival of Sam Allardyce, allied with back- to- back League wins against Huddersfield and West Ham, has rebooted Goodison Park and lifted spirits that were on the floor – in and out of the dressing room.
Hurtful
“I watched Match of the Day for the first time in a long while last week, because we won,” Williams revealed.
“Before that I actually hadn’t been able to watch it for a while. Everyone found it difficult, especially the players.
“You don’t really want to take the kids into school. But at the same time you have got to live with it. That’s the nature of the job.
“You’ve got to go and show your face, you have got to face the fans in the car park after the game. That’s what it is.
“I always tried to stay as positive as I could and hope that rubbed off on the lads.
“I hoped that they would understand that it does hurt, but what happened yesterday does not have to affect tomorrow.”
Coupled with missing out on the World Cup with Wales it’s been a season *Ashley Williams was speaking at Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice in Liverpool where he met young patients and their families as part of Everton’s annual Christmas campaign. The staff at Zoe’s Place provide support 24 hours a day for both a child and their family. They are there to offer respite care through the most difficult of times to ensure the needs of the child and their families are met.