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Jurgen Klopp believes Daniel Sturridge may yet recover the lightning pace which made him one of the Premier League’s most feared strikers - once an injury-free run allows him to trust his body a bit more.

Sturridge came in for some criticism after missing Liverpool’s two best chances in the midweek EFL semi-final defeat to Southampton with Reds legend Jamie Carragher suggesting he was now not offering the threat behind which Brendan Rodgers had brought him to Anfield to provide.

Statistics appeared to back that up with Sturridge’s top speeds well down on his 2013/14 highs in the last three injury-hit seasons.

Klopp though believes any drop in pace may not be permanent for a player he feels is in the perfect age for a footballer.

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He told a Melwood press conference: “I don’t know exactly about his level of 13/14 because I was not here but that’s not too important. I thought after the Southampton game it was a really good game from the physical side of Daniel Sturridge.

“He was really involved from first to last, there was not a big difference between the first and the second half and all that stuff.

“Usually - and it’s not about speed or anything - Daniel Sturridge scores twice in this game with the chances he had. But he’s a human being so he missed the chances, that’s all.

“of course longer injuries, more injuries, can have the affect that you lose not your speed immediately but of course your 100% trust in your body for sprinting. Ask a sprinter. That’s high intensity, that means everything.

“If you get a few injuries from this it may take a little bit of time but it’s not lost for ever.

“I don’t know when they measure exactly in the season but last season there were a few injuries, always coming back after injury, playing a little bit, then another. That was the story, it’s not a real problem in this moment.

“Daniel is in the best age for a football player (27) so if he can stay fit everything will be fine.”

(Image: PA Wire)

Klopp suggested it was natural for Sturridge to take precautions due to his injury experiences, just as other people in life do.

“If you are not a football player and you’re more ill than other people, you don’t think ‘ah nothing can happen’ and you go out in a shirt or something. You have everything, scarf and hat or whatever, our experiences have influence on us.”

Sturridge has scored just six goals this season and with just two of those coming in the Premier League.