West Brom vs Liverpool: Reds manager Brendan Rodgers unsure if Daniel Sturridge will play again this season

Liverpool are in the hunt for top-four finish

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers (Getty Images)

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has said that repeating last season’s success is dependent on him buying a striker capable of delivering “at a top level every week” after conceding that Daniel Sturridge will always carry injury risks.

Rodgers did not dismiss the notion of Sturridge becoming only a secondary striking option, after the disappointment of the hip injury which has kept him out of the FA Cup semi-final with Aston Villa and today’s visit to West Bromwich Albion and said he was “unsure” whether the Englishman would play again this season. Sturridge’s five months out with thigh and calf injuries has left him with a tally of only five goals for the season.

“There always is that risk with those type of players with their speed and body type but we have to hope with Daniel Sturrridge this year was just an unlucky season,” he said. “And he can come back super-fit and super strong because he has an immense talent. You can’t argue with that. He can be as good as any striker in the world with his talent.” To the question of Sturridge no longer being the first choice striker for him, he said: “Listen, that’s entirely for you to write. He’s not fit and once he can show that consistency and fitness, you can see in his performance level that it’s a high one. But obviously he has missed lot of the season so we need to assess it. But either way if he’s not available, we need to have that [extra] support.”

Rodgers accepted that the pursuit of a top class striker, capable of threatening every week, was made more difficult by the higher salary other clubs, such as the Manchester teams, would offer. “Well there we go,” he said to that notion. “Our job…[is to] find a way to attract them here. However long I am here or not, Liverpool is a huge attraction for any player so that’s something we will fight hard to do in the summer. It’s something that’s not easy to find.”

Though Burnley’s Danny Ings is a target and Lille’s Divock Origi will conclude his long-awaited move, neither offers proven success against the Premier League’s top sides that Liverpool will need. It is quality, rather than quantity, that Liverpool seek in a summer when they seek to move on Fabio Borini and Mario Balotelli, buys who have not worked. “Yes there won’t be that many [arrivals],” Rodgers said. “Probably more going out than coming in.

“It’s not rocket science you know. We haven’t scored enough goals this year. We’re on course to be, if the sequence goes on, 60 goals down on last year – 60. That’s a huge amount. I came in the season before and we had got 49 goals – so you’re taking nearly a season of goals out the team. It’s quite simple, we need more of a scoring threat. We missed it immensely this year and obviously that has affected results.

“I think what the players have done to arrive where we have is credit to them without that. So in the summer we have to try and find goals again. We looked last summer and certainly will this summer. If we do that we have an opportunity again for it to be like our second year. [A performing striker] can make a huge difference. If you look at teams who are successful they will have that, a consistent striker and what that gives the rest of team is crucial. You saw it here with Suarez, the impact that kind of striker can have.”