Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge ready to deputise for Roberto Firmino in PSG Champions League clash

Back-up: Sturridge is ready to lead the line if Firmino fails fitness test
AFP/Getty Images
David Lynch17 September 2018

Daniel Sturridge is ready to step into the breach should Liverpool be without Roberto Firmino for Tuesday’s visit of Paris Saint Germain to Anfield, according to Jurgen Klopp.

Firmino sustained an eye injury during the Reds’ 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, and remains a doubt for their first Champions League group game.

But Klopp believes Sturridge, who has yet to start a game this season, is more than capable of filling the void up front for the hosts.

And so the 51-year-old’s only worry is having options from the bench after Dominic Solanke and Divock Origi picked up niggles playing for the club’s Under-23s over the weekend.

Asked about Sturridge’s readiness, Klopp replied: “He will be ready.

“If Bobby can’t play and Dom [Solanke] and Div [Origi] can’t then we are a bit short of options because both of them are a doubt at least because they got two little injuries in the game against Swansea with the U23s.

“It made sense [to play them] but unfortunately they didn’t come through without any problems.

“But there’s no problem with the first line-up, only with having options then.”

PSG have completed a domestic treble in each of the last three seasons but have yet to see the vast investment made by the club’s Qatari owners since 2011 translate to European success.

But Klopp believes the French side are more focused on winning the Champions League than ever for that reason - and that makes Tuesday’s game even more difficult for his team.

He added: “Winning the first game is always an advantage, obviously, but we didn’t win it so far so we have to play it and it’s really difficult because PSG are one of the favourites for the competition.

In Pictures | Tottenham vs Liverpool | 15/09/2018

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“So how could we be the favourite in that game? But it’s really not important, I don’t want to play any ‘mind games’, it’s not necessary.

“Everybody knows about the quality of PSG - this team is built for winning the Champions League, they win the championship in France anyway and it looked so far quite easy for them because of the unbelievable quality they have.

“But all that they are going for is winning the Champions League so it will be an interesting game, for sure.

“They are really good, the players they have, the manager they have, they brought it together to go as far as possible in the Champions League.

In doubt: Firmino was substituted against Tottenham after suffering an eye injury
PA

“We are aware of that but we don’t need to be favourites [and] we don’t need to be an outsider to win a game, we just want to win a game.

“We play at Anfield and that can be an advantage and we hope that we can use that, but we need any help we can get.”

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