Sturridge Could Miss Final Four Games

This could be the end. Daniel Sturridge is facing a season-ending injury with just four games to go after a recurrence of a hip problem. The 27-year-old suffered an injury in the build-up to Sunday's home defeat to Crystal Palace, joining Sadio Mané and Danny Ings as attackers on the sidelines.

The striker has been strongly linked with an exit this summer, and if Sturridge is indeed on his way out, his last competitive appearance for the club will have been an underwhelming nine minutes from the bench against West Bromwich Albion. Those hoping that he could add some goals or invention in the final third will be sorely disappointed, but bad news on Sturridge's fitness is no longer a surprise.

Sturridge has played just 26 minutes more Premier League football over the past three seasons (2303) than he played in 2013/14 (2277). Even setting aside a potential decline in his physical capabilities that combine wonderfully with his technical prowess, Jürgen Klopp is unable to count on the England international as a regular member of the first-team squad due to the player's injury record.

Sturridge has played the fewest minutes this season in his Liverpool career and will be looking to put his injury worries behind him wherever he is next season. Klopp has limited attacking options in Roberto Firmino and Divock Origi to hold onto a place in the top four, but for Sturridge, this could very well be a dispiriting farewell.