Daniel Sturridge has said he made the right decision to leave Manchester City, claiming he would still be on the bench if he had stayed. The Liverpool striker, who faces his former club in a crucial Premier League title clash on Sunday, said the influx of big-money signings at City blocked his path to first-team football.
Sturridge, 24, joined City as a youngster but made only five league starts before moving to Chelsea in 2009. He said: 'It was difficult for me at Manchester City as a young player aged 18 or 19, with all the money they have. Realistically, you look back and they only have Micah Richards from the academy playing for the club's first team - everyone else has been signed by Man City, so I feel I made the right decision leaving there.'
The England international also faced frustration at Chelsea, where he was played out of position as a winger. 'They always said, 'You're not a centre-forward, you're a winger' - that's how they saw me, but that hurt me because I've played down the middle all my life,' he said. 'There were times when I was sat at home, very upset, and I fell out of love with the game.'
Since joining Liverpool in January 2013, Sturridge has formed a prolific partnership with Luis Suarez, scoring 21 league goals this season. He said: 'First and foremost, I feel blessed that I'm at a club where I can push myself to the limit, always listening to my team-mates and especially the manager. This is a time in my life I'll always remember.'
