Premier League: Sturridge backs Reds to improve without Suarez
LIVERPOOL 2 SOUTHAMPTON 1
LIVERPOOL striker Daniel Sturridge believes the Reds can improve this season despite losing £75m star Luis Suarez after they started their Premier League campaign with a nervy win over Southampton.
Sturridge pounced to score a 79th-minute winner, after Nathaniel Clyne’s rasping strike for the visitors had negated Raheem Sterling’s opener, as Liverpool began life without their Uruguayan superstar. Suarez netted 31 goals in 33 top-flight games last term as the Reds finished third, but his former strike partner Sturridge believes the team he left behind, bolstered by £100m of new signings, is primed to flourish without him.
“I think so, with the players we’ve brought in,” he said. “No disrespect – he’s a great player and will be missed – but we move on.”
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers revealed Suarez had wished the team good luck by text message yesterday, following his switch to Barcelona, and reiterated his intention to sign another forward before the transfer window closes on 1 September.
“Our ambitions have to be bigger than one player,” Rodgers said of Suarez. “He’s a great boy but he is gone now. We do still want another striker but that will depend on the availability.”
Sterling took 23 minutes to open his account this term, scampering onto Jordan Henderson’s through-ball to slot past new Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster. The away side, in manager Ronald Koeman’s first match, refused to crumble and equalised shortly after half-time when Clyne played a one-two with Dusan Tadic and despatched a rising drive past Simon Mignolet.
Liverpool secured all three points when Southampton failed to clear a cross and Sterling helped the ball on to England team-mate Sturridge to touch in from close range.