“I’m happy,” said Sturridge. “I have never expressed not being happy here. I think it is everyone playing devil’s advocate.

“They see that I have been left out sometimes and they think, ‘Maybe that means he is unhappy’, but the manager has got a job to do. He has got to pick the team that he feels is best on the day. And I have got a job to do, which is to perform when I am playing.

“I understand [the scrutiny]. I have been here more than three years. I am just happy to be playing. I have had the injuries and I have been in and out of the side in recent times, but it has never been the case that I am not happy at the club. I am grateful to the club for giving me the chance to come here from Chelsea. I am grateful to Brendan [Rodgers] for signing me.