LIVERPOOL MANAGER BRENDAN RODGERS feels more could’ve been done by the England camp to ensure Daniel Sturridge didn’t pick up a thigh injury while on international duty last week.
The striker left training early last Friday after suffering the knock and subsequently missed the 2-0 win over Switzerland with his replacement, Danny Welbeck, scoring both goals.
Speaking to Talksport earlier this morning, Rodgers said:
We’re obviously disappointed because we feel it’s an injury that could’ve been prevented. Clubs work differently at times to international teams. It’s more the recovery strategy. We look at players here individually in terms of what their needs are. Some players who are very fast and quick would have a second day recovery, an active recovery. When you’re that type of player, like Raheem Sterling or Daniel Sturridge, you need to recover them.”
Later in the day, Rodgers revealed the attacker will be out for three weeks and is set to sit out league games against Aston Villa, West Ham and the Merseyside derby with Everton. Sturridge will also be forced to miss Liverpool’s opening Champions League group-stage clash with Ludogorets.
He may be back in time for his side’s home clash with West Brom on 4th October.
It won’t just be Sturridge that’s missing for this weekend’s assignment against Villa though. Rodgers also confirmed that Martin Skrtel and Glen Johnson won’t feature while Emre Can faces six weeks on the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury playing for the German U21 team recently. Joe Allen picked up a knock to his ankle during Wales’ 1-2 Euro qualifier victory over Andorra but isn’t expected to be out for long.