2) Daniel Sturridge
Can Sturridge really be selected in 2nd place, when he’s barely played for a season and a half? Yes, in short – precisely because of how badly we’ve missed him. He really is that ‘important’ to Liverpool, which makes his injuries such a tragedy. A fit Sturridge affects Liverpool’s chances of winning matches the most, more so even than the player above him on this list. If he registers six goals in his next 12 matches, he’ll be the fastest Liverpool player to 50 goals of all time. So if he can just stay fit, Sturridge can earn himself legendary status. Obviously, it doesn’t look like he can do this after news of his latest hamstring problem. Fans will struggle to deal with the heartbreak of another lengthy layoff, and neither should we continue to rely on somebody who can’t maintain health. Our no.2 ranking respects Sturridge as the club’s best natural goalscorer – and it would ruin us to see him sold and then find form and fitness elsewhere. But what choices are we now left with?
1) Coutinho
It’s no surprise that Coutinho is being linked to Real Madrid and Barcelona, the only two clubs we could theoretically see him move to. Liverpool wouldn’t sell to an English rival, while nobody else could afford his potential price-tag. But we’d much, much prefer the Brazilian magician to reach his otherworldly potential at Anfield. As a playmaker, he’s got everything: mesmeric control, speed, dribbling ability, jinks and turns, vision and a blistering shot – all the more impressive considering at one point fans accused him of lacking technique when striking a football. Coutinho had just started to tear up trees for Klopp when a hamstring injury struck, but his return is near – and getting he and Sturridge firing on all cylinders will be our best chance of a top four finish this season.
