• League Cup

Sturridge to miss out against Chelsea

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge will miss out on a comeback against former club Chelsea at Anfield because he is not yet fully fit, according to Brendan Rodgers.

Sturridge returned to Merseyside on January 9 to go through the final stages of rehabilitation after more than four months of injury problems.

"Daniel's doing well. He's not ready to feature as of yet but he's working hard," said Rodgers.

The England forward had spent Christmas in the United States undergoing treatment on a thigh problem, his third injury of the season.

Daniel Sturridge has not featured for Liverpool since August © Getty Images

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Sturridge, who scored 21 Premier League goals last season, has not played for Liverpool since the end of August, having suffered a thigh injury during an England training session on September 5.

He then pulled up with a calf problem during a club practice session on October 16, and a second thigh injury while training with Liverpool on November 18.

Liverpool have struggled for goals without him for much of the season, although they are unbeaten in eight matches in all competitions as they prepare to host Premier League leaders Chelsea in their League Cup semi-final first leg on Tuesday.

Sturridge, who spent three-and-a-half years at Stamford Bridge before joining Liverpool for £12 million in January 2013, is expected to return to action by the end of this month, but Tuesday's match comes too soon for him.

Sturridge's return will boost Liverpool's attack, with Rodgers ready to admit defeat in his attempt to cut short Divock Origi's loan at Lille.

The Belgium international signed from the French Ligue 1 club last July in a deal worth £10m, but was loaned back immediately for the season.

Reports have been circulating for more than two months that Liverpool were prepared to pay a compensation fee of around £3m to Lille to terminate Origi's loan deal early.

Rodgers said in November there was no chance of such a move, but suggested last Thursday that it was possible.

However, he told a news conference on Monday: "The likelihood is he's going to stay at Lille. There was a chat between the clubs, but nothing more than that. It was just really an update on where it was at."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd