Daniel Sturridge admits he still thinks about Premier League title failure with Liverpool
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has admitted he still thinks about coming close to winning the Premier League, in an awkward encounter with Lioness Jill Scott.
The 34-year-old played for the Reds between 2013 and 2019, leaving the summer before the club finally clinched the title at the end of the 2019/20 season.
While he won the Premier League at Chelsea and was a part of the Liverpool side that won the Champions League under Jurgen Klopp, the closest Sturridge came to lifting the league title during his time at Anfield came during the 2013/14 season.
The Reds – powered by a front line of Sturridge and Luis Suarez – came famously close to beating Manchester City to the crown, before a late-season defeat to Chelsea (featuring that Steven Gerrard slip) and dropped points at Crystal Palace ended their title hopes.
"I still think about it today to be honest," Sturridge said on Sky's 'A League of Their Own' when asked about the agonising failure to win the Premier League nine years ago.
"Because you always think you get so close to that success. Sometimes I'm driving in my car and I can hear a tune that was playing that year in the dressing room at that time and I'm vibing.
"And then I think damn, we didn't get it done. But you know, fortunately for the club they won the Premier League and it was a great moment for them."
England Women's legend and fellow panellist Jill Scott then joked: "Maybe if you hadn't been vibing you might have got it done."
While the gag was met with laughter in the studio, Sturridge remained silent – creating a toe-curlingly awkward moment that has gone viral on social media.
Jamie Redknapp called Scott "the silent assassin" after her roast.
Though clearly just a joke, Sturridge could hardly have done more to aid Liverpool's title challenge back in 2013/14 and is blameless in the Brendan Rodgers' side's failure to secure the trophy.
The striker recorded a career-best 21 league goals that season, as well as nine assists, in just 29 matches for Liverpool.
While his strike partner Suarez left Merseyside that summer, Sturridge struggled with injuries and never fully recaptured his 2013/14 form in a Liverpool shirt – despite some impressive moments.
He finally departed for Trabzonspor in 2019, with a total of 67 goals in 160 games for Liverpool, and currently works as a pundit for Sky Sports.