Sturridge Ready to “Step Up” for England

As England prepare for Iceland and the final game of Euro 2016’s Round of 16, Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge says he’s ready and eager to step up, and the striker will start alongside Harry Kane in an attacking England lineup with advancement to the quarter finals on the line.

"I love playing big games, it's the best feeling," Sturridge told ITV ahead of the match. "When you're in the situations where everything's on the line and someone's got to step up. It's not about worrying about the occasion. It’s worrying what I'm going to do to cause the opposition problems. That's my worry, nothing else."

Sturridge had a hand in England’s two goals against Wales that secured them a place in the knockout rounds, but he was pushed outside in a nil-nil draw to end group play. The question now is whether manager Roy Hodgson has learned from that mistake and will play Sturridge inside along with Kane.

An overloaded attacking lineup, though—Wayne Rooney and Raheem Sterling are in it along with Kane and Sturridge—rather clouds things, and it may be that Sturridge will be given a role on the wing opposite Sterling while Rooney takes on a role in midfield trio with Spurs stars Eric Dier and Dele Alli.

However England line up, it will be a very attacking group. Whether it will have any balance will be the real question against an Iceland side that will set up to defend deep and hit England on the counter. Still, such is England’s talent advantage that there should only be one winner in it tonight.

"It's the biggest for England, for sure," Sturridge added. "It's just going out there and enjoying it, embracing it, feeling the vibes.When I'm on the pitch, I don't worry if I give the ball away, I don't worry if I miss a chance, I don't worry if things aren't going well for me because I'm having fun."