The Sport Matrix: Thursday 18 December 2014

Sturridge aims to end injury woe in America

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge will continue his rehabilitation from a thigh injury in America over Christmas.

The England forward spent 10 days in Los Angeles to help with his recovery and he will travel to the east coast to link up with the medical team at the Boston Red Sox, who share the same owners in Fenway Sports Group.

Sturridge will be accompanied by Liverpool head of conditioning Glen Driscoll and it is understood the club believe the Red Sox have specialists who may be able to assist in putting an end to his thigh problem. The 25-year-old has not played for the club since August after straining a thigh while training with England.

‘It’s been a hell of a year,’ admits Cook

England captain Alastair Cook reflected on 2014 and admitted: “It’s been a hell of a year.” Cook is under huge pressure as captain after defeat in Sri Lanka – his fifth successive one-day series defeat. The England selectors will decide tomorrow whether he is still the right man to lead the side into next year’s World Cup, and Cook himself has conceded he has no “divine right” to lead the team into the tournament.

Carberry reveals his England pain

Michael Carberry has spoken of a difficult year, which saw him discarded by England. “2014 was tough,” says Carberry, who will compete in Australia’s Big Bash. “I’m not going to lie and say I was in love with the game because it was kicking me in the you know whats a lot of the time.”

Mourinho explains Zouma injury

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho shed light on the injury to Kurt Zouma, who was flattened by the outrushing Petr Cech at a corner during their Capital One Cup win over Derby. “I thought the collision was a punch, but it was with Petr’s head – his helmet,” Mourinho said. “The players were with the body language that there was some trouble but I had no idea what the trouble was because of the distance.”

Wolff aims to shine with Williams

Susie Wolff is determined to prove her doubters wrong in her male-dominated sport. “I’m very ambitious but realistic,” says 32-year-old Wolff, the first woman driver in Formula One for 20 years. “I’m happy to have made it to F1. I’d love to get on the start and do a race, and I’d like that to be in a Williams. We have two great drivers and, if something should happen, yes, it would be great to race.”