Jurgen Klopp offers reassurance for sulking Daniel Sturridge
That is why a picture of a disgruntled Daniel Sturridge, who was dropped to the bench for Saturday’s trip to Tottenham, spread like wildfire on social media early on Saturday afternoon.
With Liverpool leading Spurs 1-0 as the game approached its final 20 minutes, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp turned to Divock Origi instead of the England striker, who might have expected to start the game anyway.
Sturridge, warming up on the touchline, looked like a man who had just been told his last train home had been cancelled and the cameras panned straight to him as he struggled badly to hide his disgust.
As it happened, Spurs levelled matters within two minutes of Origi’s introduction but Sturridge still had to wait until the 88th minute for a cameo.
It was the sort of managerial move that does not look too bad if the team wins but Liverpool were unable to turn what was a largely dominant performance at White Hart Lane into an away win as they lacked a clear focal point in attack.
Klopp’s decision also came at the end of a week in which Sturridge publicly complained about often being played out wide, rather than through the middle, by Liverpool’s German manager. And, with a few days left before the window shuts, it has been suggested that the 26-year-old could even leave the club.
However, Klopp is adamant there was nothing sinister about choosing to start without Sturridge and that the England forward’s future remains at Liverpool.
“Daniel Sturridge is a wonderfully skilled player but for the game here I made the decision [based on] the kind of defending that was important for today,” he explained.
“I am really happy that we have him and he will play and he will score and all will be good. We have now had three games, he did not have a perfect pre-season, other players – like the three guys up front today – played more and trained from the first day of pre-season together.
“It’s early and nobody has real rhythm. There is no big mountain for him. It’s a good team – thank God – and hopefully we can have different line-ups for different games.”
It looked for a long time at White Hart Lane as if Klopp, back in north London for the second time in a fortnight after winning 4-3 at Arsenal on the opening weekend, had got it right again.
However, the talented front three of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, as well as many of their supporting cast, were profligate throughout. Indeed it was left to James Milner, who started at left-back, to open the scoring from the penalty spot two minutes before half-time.
Liverpool’s task had been made slightly easier after an early injury to Kyle Walker forced Tottenham into a reshuffle, which meant that Vincent Janssen came on after just 28 minutes.
However, as it did against Crystal Palace, the new signing’s presence had a negative impact on Harry Kane, who dropped slightly deeper, and Christian Eriksen, who looked ineffective out wide. Much like White Hart Lane, which currently has a gaping hole in one corner, this Spurs squad still looks under construction.
Like Liverpool, it was down their left-back, Danny Rose, to equalise 18 minutes from time, drilling a low strike beyond Simon Mignolet.
It meant a disappointing end to Liverpool’s roadshow, during which they’ve played their opening three Premier League games – and one League Cup fixture – away from home.
“What can I say?” Klopp said. “We won at Arsenal and not many teams will win there and then we took a point from Tottenham. The thing that disturbs the judgement is nil points from Burnley.
“If we had taken one there it would be five now, if we had taken three it would be seven which I could easily live with. Now we have four but it’s early.”
Now Klopp, and opposite number Mauricio Pochettino, must deal with an unwanted international break which comes just seven weeks after the final of Euro 2016.
Pochettino said: “It’s crazy, just crazy, that we are stopping the competition again for everyone to become again involved with their national team.
“We need time and maybe a few months to get them all to the same level.
It’s not a complaint but that 60-70 per cent of our squad will go on international duty so it’s very difficult to increase our level.”
Vorm 8; Walker 6 (Janssen 28), Alderweireld 6, Vertonghen 6, Rose 7; Dier 7, Wanyama 7, Eriksen 6 (Winks 90), Alli 6, Lamela 7; Kane 6 (Onomah 83).
McGee, Son, Davies, Carter-Vickers.
Mignolet 7; Clyne 6, Lovren 6, Matip 7, Milner 7; Wijnaldum 6, Henderson 6; Mane 7 (Sturridge 88), Lallana 6 (Stewart 90), Coutinho 7 (Origi 69); Firmino 6.
Manninger, Grujic, Moreno, Lucas.
B Madley
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