Saturday 27 August 2016 16:17, UK
After a turbulent start to the season, can Daniel Sturridge get himself back in the Liverpool starting XI? The Sky Sports pundits discuss...
The striker has been on the bench for the last two games - making an 88th minute appearance in the draw against Tottenham on Saturday - after starting on the wing against Burnley last weekend.
That is a position that Sturridge has said he is 'not happy' in but the England international has been unable to make himself the number one option up front so far.
Following the 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane, Jamie Carragher, Graeme Souness and Jamie Redknapp gave their views on his current situation.
"I think that the problem Sturridge has got - there's two or three - is that if you actually look at the way Liverpool are playing this season, they're playing with one striker," former Liverpool defender Carragher said on Premier League Live.
"Roberto Firmino usually plays as a number 10 or at times as a striker so they're playing a 4-3-3. Daniel is not a great wide player - he has mentioned that he doesn't want to play there - so if he's going for the striking position, in big games, I don't think he's going to play.
"I'm not a massive fan of Firmino as the lone striker against opposition Liverpool should beat. He doesn't have great presence or pace to get in behind, but in games like today, like Arsenal or Chelsea last season, he is fantastic at winning the ball back and then Liverpool counter-attack.
"So he gets a few goals but he's not in your head a natural centre-forward that can get in behind and get lots of goals - you do think of Sturridge - but Jurgen Klopp loves him. He starts this counter-pressing that Klopp always talks about and he will be one of the first names on the sheet.
"So it's not so much Sadio Mane; the biggest problem Sturridge has got in big games is Firmino."
Another former Liverpool man in Redknapp echoed Carragher's views but doesn't believe all hope is lost for Sturridge just yet.
"I think the role Mane has had since he came to Liverpool has been so impressive. They missed him so much against Burnley and you could see today what he offers the team. He's got tremendous pace," Redknapp said.
"I don't necessarily see him as the competition for Daniel Sturridge. I still think it's Divok Origi if he comes on and obviously Firmino.
"There's no reason why Sturridge still can't have a role to play because he'd love to be able to run onto passes from Mane. I don't think I will be writing his obituary just yet, but he has got to do a bit more than what he's doing."
Souness was complimentary about Sturridge's technical skills but doesn't believe the England man has the physical abilities to fit into Klopp's long-term plans.
"He's got a mountain to climb to get back into the starting eleven," Souness said. "I think if you're talking about sheer technical ability and an eye for a goal, he's above them all but what he doesn't have - whether it's because his body won't allow it - is perpetual motion. He's not high intensity.
"You can see where Klopp is going with his team. Every outfield player has to be prepared to be buzzing for the 90 minutes and I don't think Sturridge can do that or he doesn't want to do it."
