Coyle: Sturridge can be a superstar

BOLTON boss Owen Coyle has urged on-loan Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge to keep his feet on the ground and finish the season with a bang.

The 21-year-old has been a revelation since moving to the Reebok Stadium in January and scored his seventh goal in nine games in Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal.

Sturridge was a thorn in the Gunners’ side all afternoon and his form has seen him linked with a senior England call-up and Coyle has no doubts he can follow in the footsteps of former Bolton loanee Jack Wilshere, now a key member of the Arsenal and England sides, provided he keeps the right attitude.

The Trotters boss said: “How he’s developed from being a young boy into a man is testimony to him, and Daniel can do the exact same thing. I’ve loved working with both of them.

“Whatever’s going to come will come his way anyway but he has to make sure that he’s concentrating on his job and continues his progress because we all know in football that if you don’t, then the rug gets pulled from under your feet.

“I’ve stressed to Daniel on a daily basis that every time he crosses that white line he has to keep showing people that he’s the real deal, which he is.

“He’s been doing it to this point but we’ve got five big games between now and the end of the season and I want him to continue that development.”

Sturridge is expected to recover from an ankle knock in time for tonight’s game.

Sunday’s impressive victory ensured Bolton put behind them at the first opportunity their 5-0 thrashing by Stoke in the FA Cup semi-finals a week earlier.

Tonight sees the Trotters back in action with a Premier League trip to Fulham, and Coyle insisted he had no doubts his players would respond in the right manner.

“Fulham are a quality side, they played ever so well at Wolves at the weekend, but it’s another opportunity to get a win. We’ve won there in the cup this year and we have to try to do it again.”

Victory tonight would take Bolton above Everton into seventh and maintain their slim hopes of securing a Europa League spot.

Coyle added: “Where we sit in the league we recognise there’s a clamour of clubs behind us hoping to continue their improvement and move up the league and equally we’ve got to look above us to Everton and Liverpool and try to capitalise on our game in hand.”

Fulham boss Mark Hughes must decide whether to recall star striker Bobby Zamora, who was restricted to a late cameo in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Wolves after tweaking his back and hip in training.

“He has had a long-term injury so we are very careful with him,” said Hughes.