Sturridge thrilled by growing partnership with ‘world-class’ Rooney

Daniel Sturridge has hailed his burgeoning partnership with Wayne Rooney for England ahead of Tuesday’s international friendly with Germany at Wembley.

The Liverpool man missed Friday’s 2-0 defeat to Chile but is expected to return alongside the Manchester United star in the attack against Joachim Low’s side. And Sturridge says he enjoys playing with Rooney and feels the two strikers can forge a great partnership for the Three Lions.

“Wayne Rooney is a world-class player and it is easy to play with him. I enjoy playing with him,” he told reporters. “We complement each other’s game. In training, it is almost as if we don’t need to work on things. We know where we are, where teammates are.”

Sturridge also missed June’s 2-2 friendly draw with Brazil at the Maracana due to injury, and has revealed his disappointment at being forced to sit out the game.

“I really wanted to play against Brazil to showcase my talents. The boys did well but from a personal perspective I was devastated,” he added. “When these opportunities come about you have to show what you can do. I am playing my natural game and doing things off the cuff.”

Sturridge goes into Tuesday’s game in superb form having scored 10 goals this season for Liverpool and says he is starting to prove himself, having been perceived as over-confident earlier in his career.

“I have always been confident in my abilities, always expressed myself,” he said. “When you are a young player sometimes you get misunderstood, and that’s probably the perception I gave everyone when I said certain saying things. People were thinking, ‘He is saying this and he has not proved himself or not done anything to say what he’s said.’

“In the past I have maybe not been given the opportunity to back up what I have said. I am now being given the opportunity.”