SKY – Reds open to Carragher return

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has said there will always be a job for Jamie Carragher at the club as the defender prepares to play his final game before retiring this weekend.

A news article on 2013-05-15 11:13:00 from: Sky Sports

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SKY – Henry: Carragher a true great

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has hailed retiring Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher as one of the best five defenders the English game has seen.

A news article on 2013-05-15 08:43:00 from: Sky Sports

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SKY – Rodgers expecting progress

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers believes his first season at Anfield will leave him in good stead for a top-four push in 2013-14.

A news article on 2013-05-14 10:17:00 from: Sky Sports

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GUARDIAN – Daniel Sturridge thanks God and Drogba for scoring form at Liverpool

• Striker has 11 goals in 15 games for Merseyside club
• ‘God showed me how I need to be strong mentally’

Daniel Sturridge finally seems to have found contentment at Anfield. The striker took his Liverpool tally to 11 goals in 15 matches on Sunday with a clinical hat-trick in the Merseysiders’ 3-1 win at Fulham.

Sturridge’s talent has never been in doubt, but questions have persisted throughout his career about his temperament and discipline. The 23-year-old’s attitude came into question during his days in Manchester City youth ranks while his repeated desire to play through the middle is said to have irked a number of his managers at Chelsea.

However, Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, has been supportive of Sturridge since his January move from Chelsea and the striker himself seems more happy.

“I’m relaxed, I’m enjoying my football and I’m enjoying being out on the field,” he said. “When the manager believes in you and gives you an opportunity, you have to go out there and work as hard as you can. If you can do that then, hopefully, your ability will shine through.

“I’ve kept praying every game – which I always do. God showed me how I need to be strong mentally. Being strong mentally is the one thing that can separate you from anyone else. When I worked with Didier Drogba at Chelsea, the one strength he had above everybody was his mental strength. I learned a lot from working with him about what it takes to be a top player. Hopefully I’ll become one.”

Sturridge was barracked from the terraces at Craven Cottage on Sunday due to his former employment with Fulham’s neighbours Chelsea. But rather than be annoyed by the jeers, he revealed afterwards that he enjoys being booed.

“I love that. I hope the fans do it every game,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter what they say to me. I love the banter, it’s what I live for. So hopefully they’ll keep giving me stick.”

Along with Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho has also impressed since joining Liverpool in January. The Brazilian, who arrived from Internazionale, has shone in a role just behind the main attacker and appears to have developed an excellent relationship with Sturridge in particular.

“He’s a quality player,” said the striker. “He has created four or five goals for me already. It’s fantastic to be playing with someone of his calibre.

“We have both come from big clubs where we haven’t had an opportunity to play week in week out. We are both hungry to show what we are capable of doing. I can’t praise him highly enough for what he’s shown.”


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A news article on 2013-05-13 15:22:00 from: The Guardian

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GOAL – Liverpool striker Sturridge keen to replicate Drogba’s mental strength

The forward, who scored a hat-trick against Fulham, learned a lot from playing alongside the Ivorian and believes he is benefiting from regular game time with the Anfield outfit

A news article on 2013-05-13 15:20:00 from: Goal

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SKY – Sturridge thanks boss Rodgers

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge says his recent good form is down to manager Brendan Rodgers.

A news article on 2013-05-13 13:34:00 from: Sky Sports

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TELEGRAPH – Liverpool can challenge top four next season with a few new signings, says Brendan Rodgers

Liverpool manager says his side can make the Champions League spots if they add reinforcements this summer.

A news article on 2013-05-13 08:25:00 from: The Telegraph

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SKY – Rodgers hails Sturridge show

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has backed Daniel Sturridge to become one the best strikers in the Premier League after his hat-trick against Fulham.

A news article on 2013-05-12 17:51:00 from: Sky Sports

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GUARDIAN – Fulham 1-3 Liverpool | Premier League match report

For a match involving two sides who were meant to have one foot on the beach this was a surprisingly lively affair. There were fireworks in the stands and excitement on the pitch as both Fulham and Liverpool looked to end their respective campaigns with a bang, no one more so than Daniel Sturridge who left here having scored his first hat-trick for Liverpool.

It all ultimately mattered for very little with the hosts coming into this game safe from relegation following Aston Villa’s defeat to Chelsea on Saturday and the visitors’ slim hopes of finishing above Everton ended after they defeated West Ham at Goodison Park, but they should both be praised for serving up such a hectic and committed display.

Back in west London for the first time since his arrival from Chelsea, Sturridge was the man who ultimately grabbed the headlines, much to the ire of the Fulham fans he goaded with a cupped-ear salute. “You’re just a shit Danny Welbeck” they roared back in disgust.

The shoulder operation Steven Gerrard has just undergone meant Liverpool were definitely going to be altered for this game, yet the arrival of the team-sheet still caused surprise. Not only had Brendan Rodgers made three changes to the side which drew with Everton last week, with one of them, Sebastian Coates, making just his second league start of the season, but he had also altered their formation. Coates joined Jamie Carragher and Andre Wisdom in a three-man defence with Glen Johnson and Stewart Downing deployed as wing-backs.

Fulham’s side also contained three changes, which was not a surprise given they came into this match on the back of four defeats. For both sides, however, the concern at kick-off was visibility after a plume of red smoke covered a large part of Liverpool’s half following the release of fireworks in the visitors’ end. Once the smoke had cleared, a lively encounter broke out and Sturridge could have given Liverpool the lead had he not miss-hit his close-range strike following Jordan Henderson’s low cross.

The visitors were dominating possession and territory and Fulham’s hopes of making a mark in the contest were not helped by an injury to Kieran Richardson after 15 minutes that led to him being replaced by Urby Emanuelson.

It was, however, Fulham who struck first after Berbatov found space inside the area on 33 minutes to head in Sasha Riether’s cross. Liverpool could only blame themselves for going behind given the Bulgarian was unmarked when he scored his 14th league goal of the season.

They were back on level terms just three minutes later, however, as Sturridge collected Wisdom’s long clearance and, having jinxed past Aaron Hughes, smashed a shot past Mark Schwarzer. Cue more red smoke.

Rodgers brought José Enrique on for Wisdom at the start of the second half and revered to his more accustomed 4-2-3-1 formation.

The men in red appeared comfortable in the shape yet almost found themselves going behind again on 54 minutes when the lively Alexander Kacaniklic, a former Liverpool player, surged towards goal and hit a drive that zipped just wide of the far post.

Six minutes later the Fulham players, along with their fans, were screaming for a penalty after Bryan Ruiz’s shot hit Lucas’s hand at close-range. The referee, Mark Halsey, turned down the appeals and the hosts mood darkened soon after when Sturridge scored his second goal, collecting Philippe Coutinho’s deflected shot to strike at the far post.

The forward then had a chance to seal his hat-trick after robbing Brede Hangeland of possession but his resulting shot was blocked by Schwarzer. Sturridge saw another shot saved by Schwarzer soon after following an excellent pass from Lucas that put three Liverpool players in on goal with only Hangeland to beat.

At the other end, Hughes forced Pepe Reina into a stunning save but Liverpool came again and hit the post through a shot by the substitute Fabio Borini before Sturridge got his third on 85 minutes, lifting the ball over Schwarzer following an exquisite through pass by Coutinho.


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A news article on 2013-05-12 16:19:00 from: The Guardian

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TELEGRAPH – Fulham 1 Liverpool 3: match report

Daniel Sturridge scores hat-trick to extend Liverpool’s impressive end to the season and inflict a fifth successive defeat on Fulham.

A news article on 2013-05-12 16:00:00 from: The Telegraph

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