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For those playing Daniel Sturridge injury bingo, it was news to complete the card and prompt shouts of 'house'.

Hence the quiet sniggers amid the eye rolls at the Liverpool striker being sent home early last week from the club's La Manga training camp with a virus.

It was an almost symbolic exit given, when it comes to the starting XI, Sturridge is already something of an outcast in the Premier League this season.

Five starts says it all. But it's not just the England man who has been struggling for action in the top flight.

Divock Origi, despite no Liverpool player having featured in more games this term, has started a mere six in the Premier League.

As a result, the strike pairing of Origi and Sturridge has shared a Premier League pitch for just 42 minutes this campaign.

It's even worse for Alberto Moreno, who has began only two league games compared to 28 the previous year.

Even the ever-reliable Lucas Leiva has been afforded just five starts.

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All of this points to one undeniable truth. Beyond the first 13 or 14 players in his squad, Klopp doesn't trust – or rate – most of the alternatives at present.

And for all the talk of Klopp must bring in genuine quality in the summer – not least in this column – Liverpool cannot overlook the fact they need to bring in far greater strength in depth.

The Reds boss hinted as much this week when, speaking to the ECHO in La Manga, who laid out his transfer plans and spoke of how they would be affected by Champions League qualification.

Of course, hopefully at his disposal will be Danny Ings, Joe Gomez and Marko Grujic, who would almost certainly have been given opportunities this season had they not been struck by serious injuries.

The emergence of youngsters such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ben Woodburn will also save a few bob.

But quality to match that already in the first team is going to cost, especially if the fringe players of which Klopp is evidently unconvinced are moved on. Liverpool cannot afford to have less options than this season.

And that's why the bare minimum for every player they target this summer must be those who are capable of stepping straight into the first team.

Even if that isn't Klopp's initial plan for them.

The FA Cup still matters

The magic of the FA Cup turned up at Turf Moor yesterday when Lincoln City became the first non-league team to reach the quarter-finals in 103 years.

How much magic, though, is all about perception.

This is only Lincoln's seventh season out of the Football League since 1892, while Burnley are only in their third season in the top flight in more than 40 years.

For people of a certain age, a cursory glance at the names of the teams involved doesn't automatically suggest it was a shock result.

Indeed, as recently as 1999 they were in the same division.

But let's not play down the Imps' achievement. This was a Burnley side at almost full strength that the previous week had held Chelsea to a 1-1 draw.

Lincoln's win also underlines one important point.

The FA Cup is still very much alive and kicking.

Stop Arsene around, Wenger...

The chief decision is no longer about whether Arsene Wenger will leave Arsenal.

It isn't even about when.

The one element of control Wenger truly has remaining regarding his Gunners tenure is the manner of his departure.

Defeat at Bayern Munich underlined his time is coming to an end, this year or next.

You'd hope for his sake Wenger calls it a day this summer and, more importantly, announces it long before then.

For all his achievements at the Emirates, he deserves one final lap of honour.