And what happened after that bordered on the extraordinary. To keep his balance and composure in such a tight area suggests Sturridge can score well over 20 goals this year. That kind of return can make a real difference to Liverpool assuming Suárez returns from suspension to hit the heights once again.
Brendan Rodgers must be privately delighted. His decision to spend big on what was regarded at the time as a bit of a gamble is being regularly vindicated. But while the Liverpool manager was naturally full of praise on Saturday, he was also keen to emphasise that Sturridge still has a long way to go.
Rodgers has told the player that, rather than being tempted to occasionally coast his way through sessions, he must train every day at full throttle, pointing to the likes of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher as great examples.
This is a character, after all, who probably benefits from a bit of pushing. Unlike Suarez who will ignore a bit of discomfort, he is the type who needs to be free from injury to go out and play.
Once out on that pitch, though, Sturridge has the ability to rank with the best. If he keeps working hard, it is not only Liverpool who will profit. Roy Hodgson can build his England attack around the lad. In an age when quality English strikers are worryingly thin on the ground, Sturridge stands out as a promising exception.
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