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Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge scored a brace last night to remind everyone, in particular his new manager Jurgen Klopp, why he's been so missed.
The forward, starting for the first time since early October, put two past Southampton in an impressive 6-1 Capital One Cup quarter-final win.
The goals took Sturridge's tally for the season to four from five games, yet more incredibly took him past Wayne Rooney's number of domestic goals. The Manchester United captain has scored just three, despite playing 15 domestic games this term.
It is a stat that will not have gone unnoticed by England manager Roy Hodgson as he weighs up his options ahead of next summer's Euro 2016 tournament. With his skipper struggling for goals at club level, there will be growing concerns that he is not the Three Lions' most effective option to lead the line.
Should Sturridge maintain his fitness, he would likely force his way back into Hodgson's reckoning, whilst Harry Kane has shown consistency after a slow start and Jamie Vardy has been nothing short of sensational for Leicester. Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck is also expected to return to the fray early in the New Year.
Show all 28 1 /28Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Liverpool: Players linked with transfers <b>INS: </b>Mattia Perin (Genoa) Regular poor performances from Simon Mignolet have meant speculation speculation surrounding the goalkeeper position has been rife. Perin, 23, is seen as a future replacement for Gianlugi Buffon but he is being linked as a potential replacement for Liverpool understudy Adam Bogdan.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Alex Teixeira (Shakhtar) Liverpool showed their hand on 21 January when they made an audacious £24.6m offer to sign Shakhtar Donetsk forward Alex Teixeira, who has been linked with a move to Premier League rivals Chelsea. Is said to have already agreed personal terms but the Ukrainian club, who were in Orlando for the Florida Cup at the time, reportedly value the 26-year-old at £38m.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona) Is the clear No 2 at Barcelona to Claudio Bravo but the German is an extremely talented keeper and also nine years younger than the Chilean. Klopp has already said "no", Simon Mignolet has signed a new five-year deal, but the rumours just won't go away.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) No chance. At all. The reasons he might: He used to play for Klopp. The reasons he won't: Klopp couldn't hold onto him at Dortmund; he's valued at £70m; he said he doesn't want to play in the Premier League; Real Madrid are of much more interest to him; Liverpool are not Champions League or title contenders; why would he leave Bayern Munich unless for a team on par or better? Sorry.
Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Alvaro Morata (Juventus) A new name to be linked with the club, Gazzetta dello Sport report that Liverpool are battling Manchester United and Arsenal for the Spaniard, who starred in last season's run to the Champions League final. He is out of favour this season however and has just one Serie A goal - Juventus are still said to want £45m for the 23-year-old.
Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Javier Hernandez (Bayer Leverkusen) The Reds are linked with a summer move for former Manchester United striker Chicharito, who has been in unstoppable form for Leverkusen this season.
Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Granit Xhaka (Borussia Monchengladbach) The 23-year-old Swiss midfield enforcer is an impressive athlete and good on the ball. Borussia Monchengladbach are said to have put his asking price at around £20m and will listen to offers. He has said it is "a childhood dream" to play in the Premier League.
Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich) Unlikely but, having struggled with injury recently, the World Cup winner has been linked with a Jurgen Klopp reunion.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Andrea Ranocchia (Inter) The defender has fallen out-of-favour with boss Roberto Macini, despite captaining the side last season. Ranocchia, who has rejected a move to Norwich City, could be available on loan.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Neven Subotic (Borussia Dortmund) A Klopp favourite during his time at Dortmund. Could provide more cover at centre-back that the Liverpool boss needs.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Joel Matip (Schalke 04) The defender's contract runs out in the summer and Liverpool have agreed a deal in principle to bring him to Anfield on 1 July.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) Seizing the signature of Borussia Dortmund’s mercurial winger has been a pipe-dream for many a Liverpudlian over the last three years - but now that his mentor has arrived at Anfield, what was once improbable is now very slightly possible. Has apparently made a pact with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang not to leave until the other is ready.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Domenico Berardi (Juventus) The Italian has drawn comparisons with Thomas Muller during his spell on loan at Sassuolo from Juventus. He is a good finisher who can play on the wing, at number 10, and also up front- at the ripe age of 21 he has 33 Serie A goals to his name and would offer Liverpool a refreshing level of versatility. However, it is hard to say whether Juventus would be willing to let him go or not.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Diego Lopez (AC Milan) A potential goalkeeper solution could see Liverpool look to offload Mario Balotelli, who is already on loan at the San Siro, in exchange for Spanish stopper Diego Lopez. Lopez, who won the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2014, is 34 and has a few years left in him. Due to recent injury his position has been taken by the exceptionally talented 16-year-old Gianluigi Donnarumma.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Jack Butland (Stoke City) The young Stoke keeper has enjoyed a marvellous season so far - he’s made the third most saves in the Premier League this season and a lot of them have been spectacular. His quality belies his youth but Simon Mignolet recently signed a new five-year deal.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Riccardo Saponara (Empoli) The Italian is another pacey attacking midfielder who can play centrally or on the wing. He struggled in a brief spell at AC Milan but at Empoli he has been brilliant, with 11 goals and seven assists in 26 matches since re-joining the club in January. He's rated at €20m.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Jese Rodriguez (Real Madrid) The Real Madrid man has seemingly been linked with a move to the Reds forever. But now that he is playing more regularly at Real Madrid, there seems to be less noise concerning an exit from the Bernabeu.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Lucas Biglia (Lazio) The Lazio and Argentina hard man has previously been linked with the club and rivals Manchester United. He's already 29 and plays in the same position as the younger Lucas Leiva, who has impressed under Klopp after falling out of favour with Brendan Rodgers. Seems unlikely.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Mauro Icardi (Internazionale) The Italian striker is now one of Liverpool's 'top targets' according to reports in Italy. He would cost €35m (£24.5m) to bring to the club from Inter, where he has eight goals in 16 league matches this season. He was joint top scorer in Serie A last season with 22. But with big money strikers Sturridge and Benteke already at the club, does Klopp really need another?
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Leroy Sane (Schalke) German newspaper Bild has the Reds linked with Schalke's teenage winger. The 19 year old is already a German international and Bild claims that Klopp has launched a £10m bid.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Rico Henry (Walsall) The Walsall teenager has been dubbed the new Ashley Cole and is apparently being chased by all the big boys. The left-back, who can also play as a midfielder, has been watched by scouts of Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and Arsenal.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Shane Long (Southampton) Shane Long has been linked with a move to Anfield following the arrival of Charlie Austin at Southampton. Apparently Saints could be open to letting the Republic of Ireland international depart for around £8m now that cover has been found.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Mario Lanzini (West Ham United) The transfer committee obviously still like signing players who have performed well against them. The Italian is on a season-long loan from Al Jazira so any move would have to wait for the summer. Lanzini has a £5.5m buyout clause.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers <b>OUTS: </b>Jose Enrique (defender) Last played in January after being frozen out by Rodgers, Klopp has given him another chance to make an impression. He almost joined West Brom on deadline day and may well be of interest to Premier League clubs again in January.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Daniel Sturridge (striker) The oft-injured striker is linked with a cheeky £18m bid by West Ham United. It seems unlikely but Sturridge has played just six matches this season and it is not known if he has the full trust of Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Joe Allen (midfielder) Forever linked with the exit door, the Welshman is always mooted for a move to another Premier League club. That hasn't change this month, with former club Swansea interested.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Divock Origi (striker) The Belgian youngster started a couple of games but proved he was a long way away from being ready for Premier League football. Another loan spell could beckon despite Liverpool's striker crisis.
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Liverpool: Players linked with transfers Christian Benteke (striker) Joined the Reds from Aston Villa for £32.5m in the summer but is already said to be disgruntled at his lack of playing time under Jurgen Klopp. The Belgian has only started three matches in 2016 with the German preferring Roberto Firmino - of those three starts, two came against Exeter City in the FA Cup. Will apparently consider his options after Euro 2016
Speaking after last night's Liverpool match, Klopp joked of Sturridge: "I said to him after the game, 'Now I know what everybody is talking about’. I knew about his quality, but not live in a stadium, in an important tournament."
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