Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp 'never in doubt' about Daniel Sturridge ability
ByPA Sport
Published 25/10/2016 at 22:42 GMT
Jurgen Klopp insisted he needed no reminders of Daniel Sturridge's goalscoring prowess after the England striker fired Liverpool into the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup at Tottenham's expense.
Daniel Sturridge scored twice for Liverpool
Image credit: PA Sport
Sturridge was a constant threat at Anfield, scoring in each half, striking the crossbar and missing at least two more clear chances in a 2-1 win for the Reds.
But he has yet to score in the Premier League this season and was an unused substitute in Saturday's defeat of West Brom, with some inferring that Klopp's dynamic forward line has now outgrown him.
But having changed his entire starting XI, the German was fully appreciative of the 27-year-old's skills.
"That's his talent," Klopp said of Sturridge's happy knack in front of goal.
"That's his strength, he's a finisher, a really good striker...no doubt about this.
"I never was in doubt about him even when he didn't score. Not a question.
"Divock Origi didn't score tonight but I think he played quite well, Danny Ings didn't score but played really well when he came on. That's the thing with Daniel, he's a wonderful goalscorer and that's really important."
Klopp, like Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, threw a number of inexperienced players into his starting side.
Local boy Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ovie Ejaria and Kevin Stewart all did solid work for the team and rewarded their manager's faith.
"I thought before the game it could work with them in the team," he said.
"If it wouldn't have worked that's my responsibility because I made the line-up but every positive is absolutely for the players.
"They're good boys, it's good news for Liverpool."
Pochettino, whose team created some late tension after Vincent Janssen's penalty, had a different view of Alexander-Arnold's contribution.
He felt the 18-year-old was lucky to receive only a yellow card for a first-half challenge on Ben Davies and felt aggrieved by the behaviour from the Liverpool dugout in the closing stages.
"In the first half the full-back, Arnold, should be sent off for the big tackle, the bad tackle," he said.
"It was a little bit strange at the end of the game. The (Liverpool) bench started to complain about us. That was very strange.
"You should stay calm. It is the referee who is the authority to say it was or it wasn't, it was or was not a penalty.
"You need to focus on the game. At the end of the game they started to complain about one action that was a normal foul."
On his own young players, including the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Harry Winks and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, he added: "They are very important for our future, to be a better squad.
"I think it was a fantastic opportunity to show their quality and a great experience to capitalise on, to take positive things for the future."
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