STURR FRIED
Klopp’s still refusing to guarantee Sturridge any Liverpool game time if he fails to secure move away
JURGEN KLOPP has told Daniel Sturridge he can’t promise him any more time on the pitch if he stays at Anfield.
The England striker is wanted by Inter Milan, Roma and Sevilla before the transfer window closes next week, and Sturridge himself is keen to go out on loan to boost his chances of making Gareth Southgate’s World Cup party.
Sturridge is back in Klopp’s squad for West Brom’s FA Cup visit to Anfield this evening and may be offered his first start since November.
But Klopp is adamant there can be no guarantees if he stays, even though his striking resources at the club are limited with only youngster Dominic Solanke and fit-again Danny Ings available as backup to Roberto Firmino.
“I have never in my life promised a player game time. It is not possible,” the Reds boss explained. “When Daniel is fit, training, and in shape he is still an outstanding striker but he has not played over the last few weeks – for different reasons.
“Of course one of them was Roberto Firmino’s performance, then Dom Solanke’s development. And Daniel has been in and out of training.
“In general he was more in than out in training, but the time he was in he was a little unlucky with games. That was the situation, nothing more.”
When pressed on Sturridge’s future at Anfield, though, Klopp refused to rule out a move despite such little back-up for Firmino.
“I cannot give an answer on that. There are a lot of rumours around but right now there is nothing to say about it,” he explained. “We will see what happens in the next few days.”
While Sturridge could yet leave, Klopp was adamant Ings will not be allowed to go out on loan despite indications the forward is desperate for more first-team action to make up for the last two seasons he has lost through injury.
Ings was last named in Liverpool’s starting line-up on October 4 2015, a 1-1 draw against Everton that proved to be Brendan Rodgers’ last game in charge.
Klopp (below) took over and Ings ruptured his cruciate ligament in the new manager’s first training session. A comeback last season was cut short when he suffered the same injury.
But he is in line tonight to make his first start since that illfated Mersey derby after making just seven substitute appearances over 27 months.
Klopp said: “He is exactly the player that Liverpool signed a few years ago, and that is good for me to see. When he came back he was not 100 per cent, but he is now.
“That is good news for him, important for his career, and really important news for his family and for us as well.”
German gaffer Klopp is hoping for better luck in the FA Cup. Two seasons ago West Ham knocked Liverpool out in a fourth-round replay and last season a much-changed Reds side were dumped out at the same stage by Wolves, their third home defeat in the space of a week.
Adam Lallana misses tonight’s tie with a minor muscle tear that will sideline him for a week but Jordan Henderson, who suffered a hamstring injury against Arsenal in December, and Alberto Moreno are back and Dejan Lovren is over a bout of sickness.
Belgian keeper Simon Mignolet will return in goal for cup games.