Daniel Sturridge can be a Liverpool hit under Jurgen Klopp, says Paul Clement
Saturday 21 January 2017 14:31, UK
Swansea boss Paul Clement is adamant Daniel Sturridge can become a Liverpool hit under Jurgen Klopp.
Sturridge's future on Merseyside remains a hot topic with the 27-year-old having started only five Premier League games this season.
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard urged his old team-mate to show patience at Anfield after Sturridge produced another underwhelming performance in the FA Cup win over Plymouth in midweek.
Clement insists that Sturridge can fit into Klopp's high intensity style of play if he stays healthy.
"I worked with him at Chelsea, and Daniel is a very talented player," Clement said ahead of Swansea's trip to Liverpool.
"If he can stay injury-free and get a consistent run in the team, he is as good as any striker there is. He has fantastic pace, a good left foot, individual skill. He has just had problems with injuries.
"There is a lot of selfless work and mental strength involved in that style of high-intensity pressing game.
"But physically he can do what Jurgen Klopp wants from his strikers, he has the physical attributes.
"Liverpool have always had good front players and he is as good as any on his day."
Clement has fond memories of winning at Anfield when he was Chelsea assistant manager under Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti.
Chelsea won there in the Champions League in 2009, and the following year they virtually wrapped up the Premier League title with a 2-0 victory on Merseyside.
He also has first-hand experience of Klopp's pressing philosophy in a 2014 Champions League tie when he was Real Madrid assistant manager and the Liverpool boss was in charge of Borussia Dortmund.
"The two sides [Liverpool and Dortmund] are similar," Clement said. "A lot of energy, good players, young, run a lot.
"We were good in the first leg and won 3-0, but we were really under pressure in the second leg and we were 2-0 down coming to the end of the first half.
"It was one of the longest second halves of my life. They actually hit the post, which would have it made it 3-3, but we got there in the end."
