Champions League is main aim for Sturridge

Liverpool 5 Norwich 0

In the early days of the Gerrard and Carragher’s careers Liverpool searched for the final piece of the jigsaw, now they crave to be in a position once again where just one player would make the difference.

But while it would be silly to overstate the start that Sturridge has made since arriving from Chelsea – scoring and proving wasteful against non-league Mansfield, grabbing a consolation against Manchester United and adding another against Norwich – it would also be folly not to see the difference he has already made to Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Sturridge plays through the middle but although Luis Suarez lined up on the left side of a three, he caused problems for Norwich all over the pitch.

The Uruguayan is one of the best in the business at dropping wide and wriggling into the area, where he knows someone – Sturridge – will now be lying in wait.

Sturridge shows the same easy desperation to get shots away that he demonstrated during his loan stint at Bolton and some of the combination play with Suarez on Saturday was breathtaking and it had a visible effect on the rest as they enjoyed their biggest win under Rodgers.

Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing continue the slow process of making you forget what has gone before, while Rodgers got it spot on when he said that Gerrard “used every club in his bag”.

The Liverpool skipper produced an exhibition of passing, while Jamie Carragher, 35 later this month, screamed his way through his first Premier League start since November.

With six wins and four defeats in Liverpool’s last 10 matches, Rodgers still needs consistency. But the recent signs suggest that when his team are hot, they can be really hot.

The manager has already seen the pitfalls of talking up his team’s prospects for the season. But after his flying start to life at Anfield, there is little reason for Sturridge to dismiss his new side’s hopes of avoiding a fourth season outside the Champions League.

“The main aim for me, which drives me on, is to get us into the top four and play Champions League football next season,” Sturridge said.

Of his partnership with Suarez, Sturridge added: “We have good chemistry and off the field he’s a good guy as well. We’re all on the same wavelength. We all understand positions. If Luis goes up front, I’ll drop in behind him. There’s no position for any of us, we run around and when we defend we get back into shape.

“When we are fluid, it’s better as a team because it gives the opposition problems. I’m just happy to be a part of a great front four and in great company as well.”

Henderson got them underway at Anfield, thumping in from the edge of the area after a buzzing run from Suarez was stopped by an Elliott Bennett block.

Sturridge let a Lucas pass go through his legs to send Suarez through to clip in a second before half time and then tapped in from a volleyed cross from Stewart Downing.

Gerrard thumped in from more than 25 yards before Ryan Bennett tapped into his own net from a Raheem Sterling cross to round off a comprehensive win.

Norwich have now lost five in six and, having made offers for Celtic’s Gary Hooper and Swansea’s Danny Graham, manager Chris Hughton is searching for someone to have a relatively similar impact to Sturridge.

“We have to do things our way,” Hughton said.

“It’s about trying to bring the right player in. A player that’s going to benefit what we are about and that’s going to add to our squad. If you look at what Liverpool paid for Sturridge, I would imagine that would be money very well spent.”

Gerrard and Carragher can only be thinking the same thing.

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Jones 6; Wisdom 6, Carragher 7, Agger 7,Glen Johnson 8; Henderson 9 (Allen 77), Lucas 7 (Streling 69, 6), Gerrard 9; Downing 7, Sturridge 9 (Borini 69, 6), Suarez 8.

NORWICH (4-5-1): Bunn 7; Martin 7, Turner 5, Ryan Bennett 6, Garrido 6; Snodgrass 6 (Pilkington 86, 6), Tettey 5, Howson 5, Bradley Johnson 6, Elliott Bennett 5 (Wes Hoolahan 65, 6); Holt 5.

Referee: Michael Oliver 7.