Graeme Souness and Jamie Carragher slam Daniel Sturridge after ‘laboured’ display in Newcastle draw
DANIEL STURRIDGE'S performance in Liverpool's 1-1 draw at Newcastle was slammed by Sky Sports pundits and ex-Reds Graeme Souness and Jamie Carragher.
The striker fluffed a superb opportunity in the 50th minute to put Liverpool into a 2-1 lead, but fired his shot straight at Toon keeper Rob Elliot after a Ciaran Clark error.
He then went down injured on 73 minutes, and was replaced by Roberto Firmino.
And his "laboured" performance leading the line for Jurgen Klopp's men was highlighted by the panel of experts at full time.
Former Liverpool centre-half Carragher said: "He [Klopp] doesn’t fancy him, he hasn't done for two years, that’s why he doesn’t play.
"People keep thinking that player who played with [Luis] Suarez when they nearly won the league is still there.
"I don’t think he is there anymore."
And Souness was similarly as critical of the England striker.
TOP MARKS: Newcastle vs Liverpool player ratings - who was Dream Team star man?
Latest Liverpool News
He added: "He was laboured, a yard of the pace, I don’t think he can train properly, and that’s why he gets injury after injury.
"I was watching him last year, and his warm up was like 30 per cent. Then he is expected to sprint when the game starts.
BACK PROBLEMS: Defence costs Liverpool again as Newcastle fight back to earn a draw
"It might be another month, six weeks before Klopp plays him again.
"If everything is right, he would be one of the first names on the teamsheet. But looking at him today, he is miles off it.
Most Read In Football
"Klopp sacrificed the workrate of Firmino for a bit of magic from Sturridge, but he didn’t have it, he laboured today."
Liverpool had to be content with a point in a 1-1 draw with Newcastle at St James' Park.
Philippe Coutinho's stunning 25-yarder was cancelled out by Joselu capitalising on poor defending to salvage a share of the spoils.
Despite not being a first-team regular with Liverpool this season, Sturridge has bagged a place in Gareth Southgate's England squad for the World Cup Qualifiers against Slovenia and Lithuania this week.
Keep up to date with all the latest FOOTBALL news, gossip, rumours and results
The summer transfer window was one the craziest we have ever seen.
Take a look at the most profitable transfers of ALL time.
And here are the Premier League players whose wages made them the most expensive per minute played.