Daniel Sturridge must recognise pain game, says Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes striker Daniel Sturridge has to learn more about the difference between “serious pain and what is only pain” in order to conquer his injury problems.

The 26-year-old pulled out of the squad for the 2-1 Europa League win over Bordeaux on Thursday after reporting discomfort in his foot.

Sturridge has missed almost as many matches as he has featured in since joining the club in January 2013 and hip surgery in May has restricted him to 252 minutes over three appearances this season. Klopp has yet to play him since taking over as manager in mid-October.

The German has made allowances for the amount of time Sturridge has been sidelined but admits the striker cannot be given an extended period to recover because they are deep into the season and competing on three fronts.

“The situation is Daniel was very often injured in the last few months, and maybe years, so it is normal when you get back in training usually it is not the quality, but you need training,” he said.

“Your body has to learn to adapt to new intensities of training and in this time you have to learn what is serious pain and what is only pain.

“Everyone wants him back on the pitch but we all have to learn.

“Now we can say (his latest issue) is not that serious but it is not possible to go on as before so we have to react to every situation — which is normal for injuries. When Daniel comes back usually after this long break you would train five weeks in a row and play only in friendly games.

“That would be the best, but of course we know the world is not perfect so we have to try the best and the quickest.”

Klopp could not say whether Sturridge would be fit to be included in tomorrow’s squad to face Swansea.

Captain Jordan Henderson, who has not played since the second match of the season after heel problems and then a broken bone in his foot, will not be considered until fully fit while Klopp questioned whether Christian Benteke, whose brilliantly-taken goal won the game against Bordeaux, is ready to start again after 90 minutes against the French club.

“I don’t know in this moment if Christian is capable of playing two games in three days. We will have to decide,” he said.

“But it is not the most difficult situation at this moment with the strikers because we have Christian, Divock (Origi) and Roberto (Firmino) who are good. We need all of them for this big number of games.”

Meanwhile under-fire Swansea manager Garry Monk has hailed the “trust” given to him by the club during their poor run of form.

Swansea are only five points above the drop zone after winning just once in nine Premier League games.

But Monk, speaking ahead of Sunday’s league visit to Liverpool, said Swans chairman Huw Jenkins had full faith in him.

“The word trust is something that’s clear from him,” Monk said.

“He knows that we can get through this period if we’re all united.”