Sterling needs to continue his wonderful development if the world-class maverick departs…
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Liverpool are willing to sell superstar forward Luis Suarez for £80m, if reports are to believed.
If this is the case, some of the current squad will have increased responsibility during the 2014/15 season, and these are the five that will need to be at their very best should Liverpool have any chance of going one better than their second placed Premier League finish last term.
5) Mamadou Sakho
Bare with us… Although Sakho didn’t perform well last term, he’s excelling at the World Cup with France, displaying why Brendan Rodgers agreed to shell out £15m for his services last summer. Liverpool conceded 50 Premier League goals last season, so with their goal threat diminished upon Suarez’s potential exit, their defence needs to become far, far more watertight. If Sakho can combine his unmatched physicality with consistent performances, Liverpool have every chance of improving at the back tenfold.
4) Adam Lallana
Set to complete a £25m move to the Reds, if Lallana starts the season with the Reds as he left the last with Southampton, much of the negativity induced by Suarez’s sale could be lifted. The Englishman is technically excellent, and has the ability to score and assist goals. In this respect, he’s a big improvement on Joe Allen and Lucas, although he’ll likely have to fight Coutinho for a starting spot.
3) Raheem Sterling
It’s key for Liverpool that the young Englishman continues his meteoric rise. His performances at the World Cup outlined the fact that he’s probably the most promising teenager in the world right now, and if Brendan Rodgers continues to give him the no.10 spot, (as he did towards the end of last season) most of Liverpool’s attacks will go through him. If he develops his talent, the Reds could have a world-class attacker in waiting to soften he blow of a Suarez departure.
2) Steven Gerrard
With the team’s talisman potentially gone, Gerrard’s importance and role as skipper will be even more important. Gerrard excelled in the holding midfield role last season – managing to reach double figures for both goals and assists in the Premier League. His leadership will be totally essential in 2014/15 with many of the Liverpool players embarking on a debut Champions League campaign.
1) Daniel Sturridge
The hardest thing to do in football is to put the ball in the back of the net, and the only player in the Liverpool squad who can do this almost as well as Suarez is the 24-year-old Englishman. Sturridge’s finishing is arguably superior even to Suarez’s – and if the Uruguayan leaves, there’s a chance Sturridge could relish the responsibility of the out and out centre-forward role he’ll likely be given. Liverpool’s best chance without Suarez to continue their progression is if Sturridge continues to find the back of the net every weekend.
