'Sturridge's time at Liverpool is up'

Daniel Sturridge will need to leave Liverpool in order ‘to find regular football’, claims former Rangers and Middlesbrough striker Kris Boyd.

The England international has fallen out of favour at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp, making just four Premier League starts this season.

He is yet to open his top-flight goal account in 2016-17, with Roberto Firmino being favoured as the Reds’ first-choice central striker.

Speculation regarding Sturridge’s future has surfaced on the back of his lack of game time, and Boyd can see the 27-year-old heading away from Merseyside when the transfer window re-opens.

"I don't think there's any question about how good Daniel Sturridge is as a player, but I think his time is up at Liverpool and he'll have to move on to find regular football," he told Sky Sports News.
 
"There's no doubt he's a talented footballer, but when somebody is coming in and scoring goals like Origi has, every time he has come in he has not let Liverpool down, it's difficult. 

"Does Klopp really fancy Sturridge? Even when he's fit, he's not played a lot of football."

Firmino has edged to the front of the attacking queue due to his impressive work rate and willingness to graft for the good of the collective cause.

Sturridge does not boast those qualities, with former England full-back Danny Mills admitting that the ‘attitude’ of a player he worked with at Manchester City continues to be called into question.

He said: "He [Klopp] has questioned his attitude at times, he's questioned his hunger and desire to really want to play at times, is he really injured?

"You don't get moved on from Manchester City, then get moved on from Chelsea and then maybe get moved on from Liverpool unless there's something not quite right. 

"I worked with him during his early days at Manchester City, potentially then he was superb, his ability is second to none, he's outstanding and a great goalscorer. 

"He had that fantastic couple of seasons at Liverpool with [Luis] Suarez, but Suarez did an awful lot of hard work for that team. 

"Does Daniel Sturridge give you enough and enough on a consistent level to warrant being in the team week in, week out? 

"Origi has maybe not got the same talent, but you know what you're going to get and as a manager you like that. Sturridge can be a 10 out of 10, but he can be a 3 out of 10 and managers don't like that."