Daniel Sturridge injury latest:
Liverpool striker 'happy to be
back' after returning to training
The striker has not played for the Red since
August, a loss that's been severely felt
By CARL MARKHAM
03:50 PM GMT, Wednesday 12
November 2014
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has
declared himself "happy to be back" as he
steps up his anticipated return from a long
injury lay-off.
The 24-year-old has not featured for the
Reds since August 31 after a thigh strain
sustained on England duty was followed by
a calf problem picked up in his first
session back with his club.
Having spent last week finishing off his
rehabilitation sessions at Melwood the
striker has now returned to training,
although with most of the first-team squad
away with their national teams, he will
not be involved in a proper full session
until next week.
"Training was class. Happy to be back,"
Sturridge tweeted on Wednesday, having
written on social media after Saturday's
defeat to Chelsea he was "looking forward
to returning to full training next week".
After missing 14 matches for Liverpool the
England forward is targeting a return to
action when the Premier League resumes
after the current break with the match at
Crystal Palace on Sunday November 23.
"I'll be ready for that one, God willing,"
Sturridge told BT Sport at the weekend.
"It's the worst feeling to be honest but
that's football. Everyone picks injuries up."
During the time Sturridge has been
sidelined the Reds have won just five
games - two of those in the Capital One Cup
- and lost seven.
Their Premier League record during that
spell shows five defeats and only eight
goals in seven matches as summer signings
Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert have
failed to fill the void.
That has seen Brendan Rodgers' side drop
to 11th in the table, 15 points behind
unbeaten leaders Chelsea but still only
four points off a Champions League
qualification place - which remains their
primary target having got back among
Europe's elite with their runners-up finish
to Manchester City last season.
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Sturridge's return will be a welcome boost
for Rodgers as his side seek to regain their
cutting edge but former Liverpool winger
Steve McManaman believes they should not
put too much pressure on the striker to
start delivering immediately.
"Daniel Sturridge is hopefully going to be
fit and raring to go (soon) and you hope
Liverpool can replicate the kind of form
they displayed at Tottenham away when
they won really easily against a good
team," he told liverpoolfc.com.
"It'll have a positive impact because he's a
very good footballer who scored lots of
goals last year, but he'll need time to get
himself fully fit and well."

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