In the first edition of a new blog in association with official Liverpool FC partner SUBWAY® stores, Reds striker Daniel Sturridge shares the pre-match preparations and dedicated diet regime that help him strive for maximum on-field performance.

The 25-year-old, who arrived at Anfield in January 2013, has developed into one of the most feared forwards in the Barclays Premier League ever since - with his record at the club currently showing 38 goals in just 57 appearances.

In addition to his natural predatory instincts, though, comes a consistent work ethic and a subtlety of touch and control that makes Sturridge an ideal component in the fluid, fast football sought by manager Brendan Rodgers.

But how does the Englishman maintain peak condition? What does a professional require during the week and in the immediate build-up to games to ensure they reach the highest levels when they take to the pitch? Here, the man himself explains in his first SUBWAY® blog...

To be fully prepared for a game, I make sure that I relax at home. I don't want to be too active and tire my legs out, so for a couple of days before a match, I make sure I'm at home, relaxing and getting prepared for it. In modern football, diet is important - but everyone is different. Some players can eat chocolate and be fine. Other players don't eat anything like chocolate or sweets. It's all down to the individual. I don't really like to have those foods, especially a few days before the match and never leading up to the game. Generally, I try to eat as healthily as I can.

It is very difficult to be dedicated - but you have to be. You'll have things that you'd like to have, of course everyone has got their vices. It just depends on how much you can sacrifice, if you can stay away from having unhealthy foods throughout the week. It's important that what you're putting into your body is healthy and enables you to perform at your best going into the next game. And it's important to get your recovery going with the amount of games that you play.

What I eat in the build-up to a match depends on how I feel. In the afternoon of the day before, I probably have a bigger lunch than usual but then in the evening I'll only have a salad. If it's a 3pm kick-off, I'll again have a salad pre-match. In the morning, it depends; I have fruit, maybe toast and definitely scrambled egg. I make sure I'm hydrated as well, ensuring that I have a lot of fluids, whether it be water or sports drinks. They also give you supplements and multi-vitamins to take if you want.

Preparations continue right up to kick-off, with stretches and a warm-up out on the pitch, and you can get a massage if you want to. What I do varies on how I feel leading into the game, although my set routine is usually to get a massage from one of the physios or the masseurs. Then I go out for activation and it depends on how my muscles feel. There isn't always a set routine for that. After the match, there are several things that I do to protect my body and recharge - you can go in the pool, go on the bike, stretch, do some yoga or have a massage. Or there's the ice bath and the Jacuzzi, as mixing between hot and cold temperatures is a good way to recover.

For anybody reading this and looking for tips ahead of their own important game, I think several things are crucial to producing your best. Relax mentally and eat food that you're used to eating because sometimes you can mix your diet up and it can actually affect your performance. You should eat something that you're used to eating and it's not going to play around with your stomach. It's important to have the right preparation and the right amount of sleep. Sleep is important, diet is important, fluids are very important - all of those things marry up into trying to perform very well.

As part of SUBWAY Train Hard. Eat Fresh®, we are committed to encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle and are proud to be the official training food partner of Liverpool FC, working with famous fan Daniel Sturridge: www.subway.co.uk