Liverpool News: Daniel Sturridge Set To Return Against West Ham

Liverpool are prepared to welcome their talismanic striker Daniel Sturridge after a long spell on the sidelines due to a series of thigh and calf injuries. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers declared that Sturridge will definitely be available for selection at their next league match against West Ham United at Anfield.

In fact, the Liverpool boss has hinted that Daniel Sturridge may be available for the second leg of the semi-final League Cup tie at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea despite just returning to full training on Sunday.

Daniel Sturridge has not featured since Liverpool’s 3-0 victory away to Tottenham back in August.

“Daniel trains with the team on Sunday, he’s at a real good level in terms of his fitness at the moment. He completed his final rehabilitation with the medical and sports science guys today, so he’ll be ready for the West Ham game – whether he starts or not will depend closer to the time. We’ll see if we can get him back for the Chelsea game in midweek too.”

With the return of Daniel Sturridge, Rodgers has sent a stark warning to his strike partner, Mario Balotelli. Balotelli was left out of the squad that drew to Bolton on Saturday, and Rodgers has made it clear that more is needed from the Italian international in order to return to the first team.

“He knows exactly what is required to be in this squad before he can be in the team.I am judging it every day in training. Mario is exactly the same as every other player, there is no special treatment for anyone.”

The Liverpool boss added, “Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert are working tirelessly in training and when they go on they have contributed and young Jordan Rossiter, on the bench today, has been brilliant in training and I have to judge it on that”.

“If you want to contribute you have to be at it every single day in training in order to be in the squad on matchday. It is difficult for him [Balotelli] but he knows the level of [where] this team is at – you see the aggression in our pressing and if you can’t do that you are not going to be a part of what this team is trying to achieve. We had an hour or so yesterday chatting and he understands where he is at.”

Will the return of Daniel Sturridge result in a change in form for Liverpool?

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