Liverpool's manager, Brendan Rodgers, has decided Luis Suárez will operate out wide when he returns from a 10-match ban, with Daniel Sturridge immovable as Liverpool's front-line striker.
Suárez has two matches left to serve of his suspension for biting the Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic and will make his return in the Capital One Cup clash at Manchester United on 25 September. But he is expected to feature on the flanks for Liverpool, with Philippe Coutinho moving into the centre behind the lone striker, as Rodgers leaves Sturridge to continue his devastating early-season form for Liverpool.
The England international has scored five goals in four Liverpool victories so far this season, the latest coming in Sunday's 1-0 defeat of Manchester United. Combined with Suárez's protracted efforts to move from Anfield this summer, the Liverpool manager believes the Uruguay international must force his way back as the focal point of the team's attack and that Sturridge is established in his position. The new loan signing from Chelsea, Victor Moses, is expected to operate on the opposite wing to Suárez once the striker returns from his suspension.
Rodgers, meanwhile, has maintained that Fabio Borini has a future at Anfield despite allowing the Italian forward to join Sunderland on a season-long loan. Borini was Rodgers' first signing as Liverpool manager, in a £10.5m deal from Roma, but struggled for form and with injuries last season.
The Liverpool manager explained: "He had a stop-start season last year with his injuries and I just felt this year he needed to go and play football. With Daniel Sturridge, Luis Suárez, Iago Aspas and some of the other attacking players, that might have been limited.
"I have a real belief in Fabio – he is a talent and we've seen that on occasions, but he needs to be playing regularly to demonstrate that talent. We had a host of clubs wanting to take him, but with Sunderland having the Italian connection there and being a big club where he can go and play, I'm sure he'll get the chance to shine and we'll look closely at his development this year."
Suárez has two matches left to serve of his suspension for biting the Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic and will make his return in the Capital One Cup clash at Manchester United on 25 September. But he is expected to feature on the flanks for Liverpool, with Philippe Coutinho moving into the centre behind the lone striker, as Rodgers leaves Sturridge to continue his devastating early-season form for Liverpool.
The England international has scored five goals in four Liverpool victories so far this season, the latest coming in Sunday's 1-0 defeat of Manchester United. Combined with Suárez's protracted efforts to move from Anfield this summer, the Liverpool manager believes the Uruguay international must force his way back as the focal point of the team's attack and that Sturridge is established in his position. The new loan signing from Chelsea, Victor Moses, is expected to operate on the opposite wing to Suárez once the striker returns from his suspension.
Rodgers, meanwhile, has maintained that Fabio Borini has a future at Anfield despite allowing the Italian forward to join Sunderland on a season-long loan. Borini was Rodgers' first signing as Liverpool manager, in a £10.5m deal from Roma, but struggled for form and with injuries last season.
The Liverpool manager explained: "He had a stop-start season last year with his injuries and I just felt this year he needed to go and play football. With Daniel Sturridge, Luis Suárez, Iago Aspas and some of the other attacking players, that might have been limited.
"I have a real belief in Fabio – he is a talent and we've seen that on occasions, but he needs to be playing regularly to demonstrate that talent. We had a host of clubs wanting to take him, but with Sunderland having the Italian connection there and being a big club where he can go and play, I'm sure he'll get the chance to shine and we'll look closely at his development this year."