Prolific Sturridge in esteemed company (ESPN article)

by Dave Usher for ESPN

Roger Hunt, Ian St. John, Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, John Aldridge, Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez -- all great strikers who have made their own mark on the history of Liverpool Football Club, and all who took more games to reach 20 goals for the club than Daniel Sturridge.

It may not be the most monumental of achievements, but it is an impressive feat given the competition and that Sturridge reached the landmark with plenty to spare over nearest rival Torres, who took just 31 games to record his 20th strike. Sturridge has done it in a mere 26 appearances (not all of them starts), and unlike some of his predecessors he doesn't have the benefit of playing in the best side in the country.

To put Sturridge's numbers into some kind of perspective, Rush, Hunt and Aldridge took 34 games to hit 20 goals, Fowler 36, Owen 38, St John 39, Dalglish 45 (impressive in itself given the withdrawn forward role he played) and Suarez 49. It's way too soon to be putting Sturridge into such exalted company of course, but in terms of a start to his Anfield career he could hardly have wished for a better one.

Despite being nowhere near his best at the weekend in the disappointing draw at St James' Park, he still found the net and also played a wonderful pass that led to Suarez winning a penalty and Newcastle being reduced to ten men. Even on his rare off days he still makes things happen.

History tells us that Sturridge probably won't be able to keep up this remarkable strike rate -- Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are just about the only two I can think of who have been able to sustain such a remarkable goals to games ratio over a significant period of time -- but if Sturridge can even come close to keeping up this kind of goalscoring form then Torres' club record of 50 goals from his first 84 games is well within reach. At his current pace Sturridge would get there in 65, which seems extremely unlikely but not impossible.

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