Jordan Henderson has explained how the returning Daniel Sturridge gives Liverpool an extra something in attack…and puts defenders on edge.
The England international has had a miserable time with injury of late; he was a peripheral figure for Brendan Rodgers’s side last season, managing just four goals and one assist in 13 Premier League games, of which seven were starts.
This season, he has again struggled with fitness issues, managing just four starts and two substitute appearances, although, as an indication of his unswerving consistency in front of goal, he has already scored three times in the league this term.
Sturridge found the net again in the Reds’ 6-0 demolition of Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday, and while he played for just over an hour, Henderson has warned that the attacker could become ‘world class’ if he gets a run of games.
“He definitely gives us that fear factor back. When he is firing, he is one of the best in the world, really. He is that good,” Henderson said, as per the Mirror.
“Finishing, touches, movement – he has everything. He gets one chance and scores and that is the difference,” he continued.
“Any centre-half in the world would be worried about coming up against him. He makes a huge difference.
“You can see in the games that he has played how much he has been missed.
“He has been brilliant since he has come back training and is looking really sharp. Hopefully he can continue to stay fit and cause problems when he plays.
“Everyone knows how good he is but because he has been out for a while, you do forget the quality he has got and how good he actually is.
“His sharpness is top drawer. He is a massive bonus for us.
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“His biggest problem is getting a run of games, finding consistency and just staying fit. That is the only issue. If he stays fit, he becomes world class.”
Sturridge will surely be hoping that he can do enough over the coming months to convince Roy Hodgson of his worth ahead of England’s European Championship campaign in France next summer.
As noted by Henderson, the forward’s class cannot be questioned, but with the likes of Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Danny Welbeck and Jermain Defoe all finding the net recently, and with Wayne Rooney certain to travel, competition is hotting up for a spot in the squad.