Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge will have a role at the club providing he stays fit, according to manager Jurgen Klopp.
In the absence of Roberto Firmino following his World Cup campaign with Brazil, Sturridge has been given an extended chance to prove himself in the leading role for Liverpool.
And the Englishman has performed well, scoring four goals in seven games and showing himself to be a potential starter if given the chance.
And Liverpool manager Klopp has admitted he may look into putting the English striker on a separate training schedule to keep him fit ahead of the season.
“Daniel is an outstanding player,” he said (via the BBC).
“If he is fit, he will play a role in the team.
“I am completely open to individualising training.
“When I came here I was very excited about the fact I would be working together with him. Since then he has had a few injury issues.
“Does he have to play 50-something games? No. But hopefully, he will play a few really good ones. That is the plan.”
Sturridge spent the second half of last season out on loan at West Bromwich Albion to increase his game time but things did not quite work out for the striker.
But the Englishman scored with his first touch after coming on from the bench on Saturday evening as Liverpool beat arch-rivals Manchester United 4-1 in the International Champions Cup in Michigan.
Daniel Sturridge’s injury problems
Signed from Chelsea in January 2013, Sturridge hit the ground running at Anfield building a good partnership with Luis Suarez, dubbed as the ‘SAS’.
In his first full season, 2013/14, the forward scored 22 goals in 29 Premier League games as Liverpool went agonisingly close to winning the title but that was the peak of his time at the club to date.
Since then, Sturridge has missed 87 games through injury for both Liverpool and West Brom scoring just 17 goals in the following four seasons.
Jurgen Klopp is assembling a team that will mount a challenge for the Premier League title next season. This is after coming short of winning the Champions League title last season, losing the final to Real Madrid.
He has signed the most expensive goalkeeper in Brazilian Alison Becker. Naby Keita and Fabinho have also joined an already talented midfield that include Captain Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain.
Xherdan Shaqiri, who scored a spectacular bicycle kick in their 4-1 demolition of Manchester United over the weekend is the only addition in attack, meaning Sturridge will get chances to play in what looks to be a busy season
Jose Mourinho named a starting XI including five players who did not feature in the Premier League for United last season, while Liverpool fielded a strong side featuring Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
Jurgen Klopp’s team took the lead on 26 minutes when Mane stroked home from the penalty spot after Salah was brought down by Demetri Mitchell.
But their advantage did not last long as United levelled through Andreas Pereira’s superb free-kick from 25 yards.
Liverpool substitute Daniel Sturridge continued his impressive pre-season form when he scored with his first touch after 66 minutes before Sheyi Ojo added his side’s second spot-kick of the game six minutes later.
Shaqiri, who arrived for £13m from Stoke City earlier this summer, then added gloss to Liverpool’s win by firing home Ben Woodburn’s cross in acrobatic fashion.
Liverpool round off their pre-season preparations with a trip to Dublin to face Napoli on Saturday