Fans have praised Daniel Sturridge’s “very impressive” punditry after the former Premier League and England striker gave his thoughts following Chelsea and Liverpool's goalless draw on Tuesday evening.
Sturridge, who has played for both clubs during his professional career, was part of the four-strong Sky Sports punditry team at Stamford Bridge that also included Jamie Carragher and former Lioness Karen Carney.
The game itself was a largely drab affair, with very little chances created by either side. Chelsea, however, managed by Bruno Saltor in their first game since sacking Graham Potter on Sunday, did have two goals chalked off by VAR.
Advert
The first, a volley from Reece James, was disallowed following a narrow offside decision against Enzo Fernandez in the build up, while Kai Havertz’s second-half strike was ruled out for handball.
A point for Liverpool, meanwhile, does little to aid their push for a top four finish, particularly given their 4-1 hammering at the hands of Manchester City on Saturday.
If there was one standout performer on the night, however, it was not anyone wearing either blue or red, or even on the pitch for that matter.
Advert
Instead, it was Sturridge who received much of the recognition, with fans particularly complimentary of the 33-year-old’s comments on how important confidence is for a Premier League striker.
“Supreme confidence,” is what Sturridge believes a forward needs when going through one-on-one – a feeling of being almost on “auto-pilot” when bearing down on goal.
He even revealed that, as a player, he used to talk to himself when he found himself in those situations in a bid to remain calm.
Advert
And it is this control and self-belief that Sturridge believes is distinctly lacking from the Chelsea team at present.
Fans appeared to enjoy such detailed insight, with many taking to social media to let their feelings be known.
“Very good. Unlike the game,” one Twitter user wrote.
Another said: “When he is talking about finishing - he is talking with pedigree. And the preview videos just show a different dimension to his personality. He's brilliant.”
Advert
While a third added: “Very good to be fair. Totally different to the boring cliché rubbish you hear.”
Despite spending well over £300million on new players in the January transfer window alone, Chelsea are still without a recognised striker as they look to recover from a dismal showing this season.
And while Carragher seemed convinced there was no place for the exiled Romelu Lukaku at Stamford Bridge once his loan spell at Inter Milan ends, Sturridge appeared far less adamant.
“It’s dependent on the manager,” said Sturridge.
Advert
“I think if the manager comes in and they can build a team around him, that’s what Lukaku probably needs.
“If he does come back and has a good pre-season, I’m sure the manager will know that this guy is a goal scorer.
“Maybe there will be certain things teams will want him to do more of, but with regard to scoring goals, I’m not going to question that.”
Featured Image Credit: Sky SportsTopics: Chelsea, Daniel Sturridge, Liverpool, Premier League, England, Football
