Daniel Sturridge injury: Jurgen Klopp rules Liverpool striker out for another 10 days but will not sell him this month

Klopp says he is willing to be patient with Sturridge's return despite the England international starting just four games this season

Daniel Sturridge has been ruled out for another 10 days by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (Getty Images)

Jurgen Klopp has ruled injury-prone striker Daniel Sturridge out of action for another 10 days and has cast doubt over when his eventual return will happen after admitting that he will “hopefully” have some part to play in the remainder of the season.

Liverpool return to Premier League action this weekend against Norwich following their FA Cup duty in mid-week which saw them progress to the fourth round after beating Exeter City 3-0 in a replay, but they will once again be without their striker after Klopp ruled him out of the trip to Carrow Road as well as next Tuesday’s Capital One Cup semi-final second-leg against Stoke and the Premier League visit of West Ham the following weekend.

“He's not with the team at the moment, that's right,” Klopp said on Friday morning. “But we have enough games this season when we hopefully can use him but not, if nothing happens, for at least the next 10 days.

“You can't be nearly fit, then playing, then injured again, then nearly fit, then playing, then injured again, then during training something like injured again, and then you say after five days 'come on' to pick the day you get him and then he gets the next injury.

“We have to patient. That's not my best skill to be honest. But in this case I have no other choice.”

Klopp did reflect on his handling with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan and his similar injury woes that kept him out of action for over a year, and stressed that he will not lose patience with the 26-year-old England international despite him making just four starts this season.

When asked if Klopp would make a decision on Sturridge’s future amid reported interest from West Ham, the German answered: “Make a decision about what? I have two-and-a-half years left on my contract and I've been here three or four months. That's not a problem.

“I had 15 months with Ilkay Gundogan where we had to all wait but it was his back and we had no chance to force it. It's not a back problem with Daniel but it's the muscle.

“Out of responsibility, we have to do everything we can to give him the physical strength to be able to play Premier League football.

“We all know it's pretty easy for him when he's fit, but at this moment he isn't. We cannot change this and I am not thinking about making a general decision (about him) at the moment."

Klopp added: “To have a player like Daniel in your squad is always a good situation, and when it's not possible to use him, it's not a good situation.”