• Premier League

Rodgers: Sturridge can fire Liverpool into top four

ESPN staff
December 22, 2014
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Brendan Rodgers has pinned all Liverpool's hopes on finishing in the top four in the Premier League on Daniel Sturridge's return from injury in January.

Liverpool have struggled for consistency this season, winning six of their opening 17 matches to leave them 10th in the table at Christmas.

Rodgers' side have been without injured Sturridge, who scored 21 league goals last campaign, since August due to a thigh problem and will spend Christmas in the US with specialists.

But when asked if he is confident the Anfield club can still qualify for the Champions League, Rodgers was bullish about his team's chances.

"Yes, absolutely," he told the Daily Telegraph. "It is always going to be a big challenge and of course we have to make up points, but we have shown that this is a club that can go on a run of games.

"In the second half of last season, we went on a run of 11 wins and the most important thing is the confidence.

"Bring Sturridge back in January and we can get back to being that team. His rehab has been done in Los Angeles and he is now going to Boston and he will move on to a specialist facility there.

"Hopefully in the early part of the New Year, he will be back. At some point in January, we will get him back."

Liverpool needed an injury-time goal from Martin Skrtel to salvage a 2-2 draw against Arsenal on Sunday, despite having dominated the majority of the match.

Of the performance, Rodgers added: "Our performance today was better than our 5-1 here last year. There's no question about that. The dominance we had today was fantastic [and with all] the efforts on goal."

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