Sturridge might not return until next season, admits Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers admits that Daniel Sturridge may not return to competitive football until next season.

Sturridge has missed Liverpool's last three games with a hip injury, with Mario Balotelli, Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert deputising in his absence.

Sturridge has been limited to just 18 appearances in all competitions in 2014-15 and Rodgers is refusing to put a timescale on the 25-year-old’s return, though he concedes the striker may be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.

"It has been difficult for Daniel, of course," Rodgers told reporters. "Daniel is a good lad who obviously wants to play, wants to be working and helping the team.

"But it has just been one of those seasons for him where he has been very unfortunate and has just missed out. We're just going to have to monitor that day by day and see where he's at.

"When he's been fit he's been brilliant for the team, the key now is to see if we can get him back fit and consistently playing. We'll see if that's going to be this season or the pre-season.

"We'll do what's in the best interests of him; we have to protect Daniel and make sure he's going to be here over the next number of years, playing and playing to the level that we all know he can."