‘Klopp trying to juice my orange to the full. It’s beautiful’ – Sturridge

Daniel Sturridge has lifted the lid on Liverpool’s pre-season regime – and insists he has never been in better shape during his time at Anfield.

The striker endured a season of frustration last time around with injuries and a loss of form restricting him to just 27 appearances in all competitions and just seven goals to his name.

While the striker is no longer first choice at Anfield, the player has pledged to work harder than ever in a bid to impress Jurgen Klopp.

Speaking about his efforts to catch the eye, Sturridge told  LFCTV: “I worked individually over the summer, worked my socks off in LA on holiday. It was a good vibe, good to be getting those metres in the gym and those types of things.

“Coming here and working with the gaffer and his team, and ensuring I’m in the best shape possible, is important for me going forward to help the team win trophies.

“I’m feeling good, I’m enjoying myself. I’m enjoying having banter with the boys and helping the new players settle in. It’s important.

“I was speaking to Philippe [Coutinho] – we are probably two of the longest-serving players in this group. It’s funny to find ourselves in that situation. We were having a laugh about it.

“It’s our job to help the new players bed in and also to push ourselves to get to the next level. That’s the most important thing.

“The manager certainly tries to get every bit of juice out of the orange that he can. It’s a beautiful feeling.”

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Sturridge hasn’t always enjoyed a full pre-season during his time at Liverpool, but the striker insists he is feeling better than ever this summer.

The players are currently out in went on Hong Kong, and underlining the hard work he is putting in, Sturridge added: “We did 1,000-metre runs. There were specific speeds for specific groups.

“It’s a mental test pretty much; you get tired and you’ve just got to keep going, you’ve got your mates next to you. It’s difficult but it’s in the bank.

“It’s a constant battle with yourself—you’re in a boxing match in your head pretty much.

“You’ve just got to keep pushing yourself because you’ve got your mates next to you; they’re trying their best to keep you going and you’re trying your best to keep them going.

“Even if people are in different groups to you and they’re falling in behind, you’re pushing them on to catch up with the group they’re in as well.

“It’s a team effort even though it’s individual. It’s a mental battle getting round there but it’s important to get the kilometres in for the games.”