Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp said he now understands the expectation surrounding Daniel Sturridge after he scored twice in the League Cup win over Southampton.
The striker, 26, was given his first start by Klopp after injury problems.
Divock Origi netted a hat-trick and Jordon Ibe got the other as the Reds came from behind to win 6-1 and set up a semi-final against Stoke City.
“I said to Sturridge after the game ‘now I know what everybody is talking about so thank you’,” said Klopp.
Sturridge has been plagued by injuries since August 2014 and the match at St Mary’s was just his fifth appearance of the season.
Last week, Klopp seemed to be sending a message to his striker by telling him to identify “what is serious pain and what is only pain”.
After the victory on the south coast, Klopp added: “Of course I knew all about his quality, this was not a problem, but I had not seen it live in a stadium in such an important game.
“How do I know if he can be better than a couple of seasons ago? I don’t know. You have known him longer than me.
“The problem with Daniel was we didn’t know how long he could play. He did not have the perfect pre-season. It was a good decision [to select him], I have to say.”
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