Klopp: Sturridge has to be flexible

JURGEN KLOPP insists he has no issue with Daniel sturridge and stressed the striker’s move to a position out wide is not for the long-term.

The england international said he was ‘not happy’ at having to play out on the right against Burnley on saturday, a role he also took up on Tuesday night during the 5-0 romp at Burton. sturridge scored the final two goals in that game.

Liverpool are taking a careful approach with sturridge, but Klopp explained that the idea of not deploying sturridge in his preferred position was to do with the team’s evolution and he maintains it has nothing to do with any breakdown in the relationship between the two men.

‘I don’t want to play Daniel as a wide player,’ said Klopp, who has fitness concerns over Divock Origi and Philippe Coutinho ahead of Liverpool’s lunchtime visit to White Hart Lane to face Tottenham tomorrow.

‘Of course he can play there, but in the decisive moments, he needs to be involved in all the finishing situations. Both goals he scored from inside the box.

‘That’s flexible football, but you need to find a formation for players to start in.

‘It’s how football works — you don’t stay and wait until you get the ball and especially not in Daniel’s case. There’s absolutely no problem with that. I don’t know exactly what he said, but how I know him and when we have talked, there’s no issue.’

sturridge is not the only player to have been played this season in an unnatural position.

James Milner, whose career has been spent in midfield, now finds himself deployed as a left back, Careful approach: Klopp but Klopp has urged his squad to be open minded about the jobs they are asked to do.

‘We don’t have this fixed position,’ said Klopp. ‘It’s not that you play there and wait for something. It is flexible football.’

Liverpool, meanwhile, hope nice’s interest in Mario Balotelli will materialise into a permanent move. Mamadou sakho is also the subject of interest from stoke, but it is unclear if he is willing to move on loan.