• Premier League

Sturridge: Liverpool are bigger than Chelsea

Daniel Sturridge has been one of Liverpool's star performers this season © Getty Images

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Daniel Sturridge has once again hit out at Chelsea by claiming Liverpool are bigger than his former club.

The 24-year-old spent four seasons at Stamford Bridge, but was sent out on loan to Bolton in 2010 having struggled to establish himself at the club. He has also revealed he was never given the opportunity to shine in West London.

"This club is more of a pressure cooker than Chelsea. [There] we were challenging for titles and the expectation from the fans and a lot of expensive players get bought and your fighting for your place. But I think as a club, [Liverpool] is bigger, the history of the club and the way the fans want success," Sturridge exclusively told ESPN.

The England international has also refuted claims that being selfish hampered his chances at Chelsea, where critics believed he would always have a tendency to shoot rather than pass to team-mates.

"The selfish thing - people at Chelsea have an opinion - and everyone's entitled to their opinion, but for me I was never given an opportunity there," he said. "I'm only on for five minutes, I've got to try and do something. I've got to try and shoot.

"People have an opinion of me, [saying] 'Daniel Sturridge this, Daniel Sturridge that' and I'm selfish and this and that, but for me I've always tried to help the team win games and here at Liverpool I always try and sit on my opponents and I'm not a selfish player. I'm not a selfish person. People who meet me here and management understand exactly where I'm coming from."

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