Daniel Sturridge on the move to West Brom, the best for both parties.

Lots of Liverpool fans are lamenting the loaning out of Daniel Sturridge to West Brom on Tuesday (29th January) evening.

The Birmingham born striker was the Liverpool top scorer over the past 5 years since he joined the club in January 2013, with 63 goals. Philippe Coutinho second on the list with 54 goals. 

Yet recent years have not been kind to the striker. As soon as Jurgen Klopp came to Liverpool he identified that Sturridge was not his favoured striker, but the Brazilian Roberto Firmino was his man going forward. 

You can see Firmino's attitude to the gegenpress which Klopp loves to deploy sides with, Firmino's commitment to it is why Klopp always picks him. Sturridge smacks of selfishness and unwilling to chase defenders down unlike the Brazilian. Yes Sturridge looks the more clinical finisher but Firmino fits into the system more.

Last seasons stats are worrying for a striker who wants to lead his club and country at the highest level. Sturridge missed 18 of the 38 Premier League games because of 5 different injuries. He was involved in only 769 minutes out of 3,420 in the league. 

Sturridge is the reds 7th top scorer in all competitions for the reds this season with 3 goals joint with youngster Trent Alexander-Arnold. He is behind the usual suspects of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Firmino, Coutinho, but also behind Emre Can and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. 

For me the loan is a great move for both player and clubs. Dominic Solanke was always ahead of Sturridge on the bench. With Danny Ings coming back you could argue Sturridge was fourth choice striker at Liverpool. As Ben Woodburn was not loaned out the young Welshman could feature more often for the club. 

In a year where England head to Russia in hope of glory and only Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy showing they can play for England, there is a gap for a striker in that side. Sturridge will be getting lots of game time with Alan Pardew's West Brom and will be competing with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Andy Carroll and teammate Jay Rodriguez to get into Gareth Southgate's side. 

Red fans who worry about the lack of depth up top I would say if you thought about the first half of the season Ings wasn't fit and Sturridge missed 10 of the 24 games injured, leaving the reds with just two strikers for most part. Now Ings is back and playing we have at least three strikers, unless Klopp surprises and signs a striker by 1st February. 

Calum Anderson