Sturridge frustrated with wide role

Daniel Sturridge has expressed his frustration at having to play out of position in a wide role.

Daniel Sturridge has expressed his frustration at having to play out of position in a wide role.

Sturridge was deployed in a right-sided role at Burnley on Saturday and was taken off after 64 minutes, having failed to make an impact.

He took up a similar position when he came on late during Tuesday’s EFL Cup tie at Burton, scoring twice with two clinical finishes in the 5-0 rout of the Championship side.

Divock Origi and Roberto Firmino are the men Jurgen Klopp has played through the middle so far and Sturridge said: ‘Of course it’s more difficult for me to play wide.

‘I’m a centre forward. In the modern-day game you have to try and be flexible, but everyone knows my best position. Everyone knows where I enjoy playing the most. I just have to do a job for the team.

‘I’m a player who plays on instinct and in the middle I have clarity on movements and things that I have been doing for years. I’m on autopilot there. You just do things because you are used to doing it. But when you are out wide, you have got to worry about different things.’

Asked whether it was a position he was happy playing, Sturridge replied: ‘Well, I have to do a job for the team. That’s not saying I am happy to do it. That’s saying I have got to do a job for the team. It’s a team game. If I’m put in that position, I have to play there.’

It was clear Sturridge was irritated about the situation and when asked whether the new role had been explained to him, he said: ‘No, no.’

He then added: ‘If I go over those white lines, it is important to give 100 per cent. I’m not making any complaints.’ – Daily Mail