Klopp hopes Sturridge ‘doesn’t kick me from behind’

Matt Stead

Jurgen Klopp has explained that he understands Daniel Sturridge’s angry reaction to being substituted against Tottenham.

Liverpool striker Sturridge started the 1-1 draw against Spurs on Saturday, but failed to convert any of his chances and cut a frustrated figure throughout.

Manager Klopp substituted the England international after 72 minutes at Anfield, with Sturridge reacting rather angrily to being hauled off. Doesn’t every player when they are removed from a game they feel they can change?

Klopp defended his striker after the reaction, stating that he was happy Sturridge wanted to stay on.

“I think that’s completely normal, especially with the quality of Daniel Sturridge,” Klopp said. “He has to think ‘leave me on the pitch and I can decide the game’.

“That’s true, but in this moment we need other help in the game. We needed ways behind the line. We needed Divock’s physical strength so I changed.

“I could have changed Adam Lallana and gone with two strikers. But in my opinion, and only my opinion counts, it didn’t make sense so that’s it.

“I saw that he was not happy because I’m not blind,” Klopp added. “But that’s not a problem because if he came off and [celebrated] something would be really wrong.

“You cannot play football with this confidence when you are like we are. You have to think ‘yes, I’m the best’.

“I like this – as long as he doesn’t come off the pitch and do something really strange like kicking me from behind.”