No Sturridge return against Stoke

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp revealed striker Daniel Sturridge will not take part in their League Cup semi-final first leg against Stoke on Tuesday.

Sturridge has not played for the Reds since the club's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle on December 6 as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Reports suggest the hamstring is fine, but Klopp does not want to rush the injury-prone forward back and wants to be 100% sure of his fitness before he plays.

"Maybe you have the feeling Daniel has been training with us for the last three weeks," he told his pre-match press conference. "And every day he's fitter and fitter and fitter but I say 'No - I wait'. It's not like this."

"Daniel has had some problems in these weeks - not serious but then he couldn't train or make the next session. When he's had a row of (training) sessions, I will pick him."

"I'll be the first one to pick him when he's ready. I won't hold him back. It would be easy for me to say, come on, let's try, we don't score enough goals, but we have to be patient."

"Daniel had last a complete pre-season in 2011. During that period we load bodies with strength. What we're doing now is trying to fill his body with energy," he concluded.