Daniel Sturridge? Who needs Daniel Sturridge. Certainly not Rafa Benitez, who just saw his Chelsea team score eight goals against a thoroughly perplexed Aston Villa with Fernando Torres leading the line. There was quite a lot to talk about in the post-game, mostly focusing around the sheer ridiculousness of the result, but the manager was also asked to comment on the rumours that Sturridge was left out of the squad because he was taking a medical at Anfield.

The answer?

Cheerio Daniel Sturridge: confirmed by Rafael Benitez as being up at Melwood, passing his Liverpool medical. Insert own 'passing' joke. — Dan Levene (@BluesChronicle) December 23, 2012

So a) the rumours were correct and b) according to Benitez, Sturridge has passed his medical, leaving the £12 million deal rolling along quite nicely. I was a little bit worried that the nagging injuries the 23-year-old has been suffering this season were going to be a problem, but hey, apparently not. Anyway, I'd be expecting an announcement from one of the clubs regarding the sale very soon.

Chelsea will be down a striker until January, but Victor Moses had an impressive shift at centre forward after Torres came off and will presumably be backup there until more help arrives via transfer. Works for us.