Long-live-the-king, Although this may sound a dialogue of a Hollywood movie, voices around Anfield on this Sunday afternoon would be similar as the favourite son has returned as far as Brendan Rodgers is concerned. Liverpool have laboured in his absence, touched the bottom of their form and with no worst thing remaining that hasn’t happened to Anfield outlet yet, Daniel Sturridge is returning to a bruised, beleaguered side whom he left in good shape back in September.
Just like a knight returning to his soldiers after they’ve suffered in his absence while he was on the ailing bed, Daniel Sturridge return might poke the same feeling around his Liverpool team-mates this weekend that guided them to a 2nd placed finish.
However, everything won’t be good for Liverpool and here are the 5 things the return of the Englishman would provide to the Reds:-
Goals:
For a team which has scored a century of goals last term, Liverpool have fallen behind the likes of Southampton, West Ham and Swansea City when it comes to scoring this term. And with their next Premier League opponent Crystal Palace, a side which has scored the same number of goals as them, Liverpool would want goals as their defense is more porous than a sinking ship. Sturridge return might not provide them with all the things that were present last season, goals are a surety to come for the last season’s runners up with his return to say the least.
Last chance for Balotelli:
Although some would argue next five games are important for Liverpool, next game might serve as a deciding factor of how will their new signing will fare. Three months into a new team and the talks of his exit already echoing around Anfield, Balotelli would be a man unsure that how to deal with this lack of expectation. And now with Sturridge returning, the Italian might get himself out of the firing squad by assisting his partner in crime up-front.
Excuses or reasons: Brendan Rodgers will be judged this week!
After the injury of Sturridge which was un-voluntarily coupled with a lack of form shown by the Liverpool personnel, Daniel Sturridge return will knock out any further excuses under his manager’s ground if Liverpool suffers the same fate.
Brendan Rodgers who has rued Sturridge absence more than that of Suarez’, the Northern Irishman will be in the spotlight this weekend. All his critics, those sitting inside Selhurst Park or watching from distance, will be ready to prey him like vultures if Liverpool form doesn’t get a good U-turn.
Coutinho will be the happiest:
As Raheem Sterling, being the son of the soil, was able to hold himself in Sturridge absence with his goals, not many of-course, Philippe Coutinho’s form has suffered in Sturridge’s absence. For a man who provided 7 assists last season, no assist in the first 11 of this season would be a worrying factor for himself. And now with Sturridge’s return and his runs behind the defenders, Coutinho might wave his magic wand once again.
Lambert and Borini might get kicked out or in:
At a time when your team isn’t performing, no one’s position is permanent as we have seen with Liverpool this season. Trying as many formation in the first 11 of this season that they haven’t tried the whole last gives us the insight of how Liverpool have gone down this season. And if the duo of Sturridge-Balotelli wouldn’t blend well, either of the other two might get his lucky star on peak.
Amir Bashir follow him on Twitter.
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