Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has warned Daniel Sturridge that he must adapt to ‘flexible football’ amid the striker’s frustrations about his new role.
Sturridge expressed his frustrations at being deployed in a wider position rather than as a centre-forward in the Reds’ opening games of the season.
The England international made the remarks after he had scored twice during Liverpool’s 5-0 EFL Cup win over Burton Albion on Tuesday night.
But while Klopp agrees that Sturridge should not be utilised as a winger, he has warned that his attacking options now come with an added versatility.
He said: “I don’t want to play Daniel as a wide player.
“Of course he can start there. Of course he can play there, but in the decisive moments, he needs to be involved in all the finishing situations.
“Both goals he scored (against Burton) from inside the box so he was not on the wing in this moment.
“That’s flexible football but of course you need to find a formation for players to start in.
“Burnley and Burton were games where we actually didn’t need an offensive winger – that job should be filled by the full-backs.
“The players really skilled in finishing situations, you have them in and around the box.
“It’s how football works. It’s not a fixed position. You don’t stay and wait until you get the ball and especially not in Daniel’s case.
“There’s absolutely no problem with that. Like I said, we still have to work on a lot of things.
“I don’t know exactly what he said, but how I know him and when we have talked, there’s no issue about this.
“It’s about asking a question, getting an answer and making a big deal of it or not thinking of it at all.”