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Jamie Carragher has backed underrated Daniel Sturridge to step out from Luis Suarez's shadow.

Suarez's blockbuster move to Barcelona has threatened to leave Liverpool short up front, with Loic Remy's collapsed transfer leaving him and Rickie Lambert as the only out-and-out centre-forwards on the club's books.

And Liverpool legend Carragher reckons this season will be time to shine for the under-appreciated Sturridge, even claiming that the Engand man was "bullied" at times by his former strike partner:

“I don’t think he gets enough credit, I’ve mentioned it before," he said.

“He’s not Suarez, we know that. I remember times last season when I was in the Main Stand. In the Everton game he and Suarez were going hammer and tongs at each other, they were still arguing at the halfway line and the manager brought Sturridge off.

"I’d have done the other one.

“I felt at times that Suarez bullied him a little bit. I know with strikers there’s sometimes a little bit of a jealousy thing there, if someone’s scoring.

“I felt for him at times. I think he got the rough end of the stick at times with him and Suarez.

“I’m not saying they never got on, but they both wanted to be the main man scoring. Now there’s no doubt he’s the man."

With 21 goals in 26 league starts last season, Sturridge dazzled in his first full season on Merseyside, and Carragher reckons the 24-year-old has everything in his armory to become one of the best forwards on the continent.

He added: “Look at his record: I think I’m right in saying he’s got more goals after 50 games than any Liverpool player ever. If you look at the strikers Liverpool have had that’s an unbelievable achievement… He could be the best striker in the league.”

“Think of the ability he’s got to get goals: He’s got class, he’s got pace, he scores all sorts of different goals, he’s cool when he’s going through on goal, he’s England’s main striker now and he could be one of the best in Europe.”

Jamie Carragher was talking exclusively to the Anfield Wrap.

For the full, hour long Anfield Wrap podcast where Jamie chats about his career, where he thinks Liverpool will finish this season and why he's backing Daniel Sturridge to develop into one of the top strikers in Europe, visit www.theanfieldwrap.com and download the podcast.