Is Sturridge past his best? (Picture: Reuters)

Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool would have secured a 2-1 win against Newcastle if they had a striker like Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku or Alvaro Morata rather than Daniel Sturridge.

The Reds were left frustrated as former manager Rafa Benitez masterminded a draw to leave Jurgen Klopp’s side with just one win in seven, with a goal from Joselu cancelling out Philippe Coutinho’s opener.

Sturridge should have put Liverpool 2-1 up in the second half but the England international squandered a glorious opportunity and he was subbed off midway during the second half.

Liverpool legend Carragher believes Sturridge is not the same player he was when the Reds were challenging for the title under Brendan Rogers and thinks injuries have turned him into a less lethal striker.

Do Liverpool need a player like Lukaku? (Picture: AFP/Getty)
Carragher has not been impressed by Sturridge (Picture: Getty)

And the Champions League winner is adamant that a top Premier League striker of Kane, Lukaku and Morata’s ilk would have secured all three points for the Reds.

‘He should [have scored] and that’s what he’s in the team for,’ he told Sky Sports after the match.

‘He’s not in the team to press, because he doesn’t press. He’s not in the team to run in behind because he’s not that player anymore – the injuries have taken its toll.

Kane has been on fire (Picture: Getty)
Morata has enjoyed a good start to life in England (Picture: AMA/Getty)

‘He doesn’t get in behind people so he doesn’t actually get involved a lot. So the reason he’s in that team is to finish that chance. He has to score.

‘Sometimes a striker will say “oh but I’m getting the chances, I’ll start worrying when the chances don’t come” and then when the chances don’t come, they’ll say “oh, I’m not getting any creativity, no one is setting up chances for me!”

‘I think strikers get away with a lot really when they’re missing chances. That’s a massive chance.

‘If that’s Harry Kane, that’s a goal. Morata, it’s a goal. Lukaku, it’s a goal.

‘And they’re coming away with a 2-1 win.’

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