England warned by Brendan Rodgers to not break Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge

Posted Thursday, October 01, 2015 by Express.co.uk

DANIEL STURRIDGE is being rested for Liverpool's Europa League tie with FC Sion as England were warned the striker is not yet ready to play more than one game a week.

England manager Roy Hodgson today names his squad for the Euro 2016 qualifiers with Estonia and Lithuania and has been unable to call on Sturridge for a year because of injury.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is happy for Sturridge to be included in Hodgson's plans but stressed that the forward's fitness would have to be carefully managed by the national team.

The showdown with Estonia is at Wembley a week on Friday with the trip to Lithuania the following Monday, a game which will be played on a plastic pitch in Vilnius.

Liverpool and England have clashed previously over Sturridge after he suffered a thigh injury in a training session following a win over Norway in September 2014. That remains his last international appearance and Rodgers said: "I haven't spoken with the FA.

England warned by Brendan Rodgers to not break Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge
Daniel Sturridge scored twice on his return to the Liverpool starting line-up on Saturday

"I wouldn't have any concern about him being selected. Daniel is back in the fold now and he is obviously one of the top English strikers.

"If he is back fit and performing, I would expect him to be chosen for the national team. But at this moment in time it is about making sure he is fit and ready for Liverpool."

Asked whether he could play two games in four days, Rodgers said: "Not at the moment, no. The guys with England are intelligent enough and I am sure they understand and will have a little conversation before they meet up.

England warned by Brendan Rodgers to not break Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge
Brendan Rodgers warned Roy Hodgson that Daniel Sturridge couldn't play two games in four days

"I don't necessarily speak so much with international managers. When players go away, I let them deal with them.

"They are highly-qualified professionals who work at that level. But certainly with Daniel's case, it is certainly worth me noting to the FA about where he is at in this period of his fitness.

"I suspect that he is a player who is coming back and Roy and his staff are intelligent enough to see that. I'm sure him being in the squad, they will manage it accordingly." Rodgers will select a strong team for the visit of Swiss side Sion.

Danny Ings is set to start alongside Divock Origi, who Rodgers said would not be loaned out this season, but Sturridge will not be risked for fear of 'breaking' him ahead of Sunday's Merseyside derby showdown with Everton.

England warned by Brendan Rodgers to not break Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge
Danny Ings is set to start alongside Divock Origi against FC Sion

"For every player, you have to assess and analyse them individually," said Rodgers. "Daniel has worked very, very hard and he has got back ahead of schedule.

"We have just got to make sure that we don't break him at this stage. He is recovering from the game at the weekend and he is still building himself towards fitness.

"But what he gives us is that real quality in the final third. He won't be involved in the game (against Sion) and that will keep him fresh."

Liverpool (Probable) (3-4-1-2): Mignolet; Can, Toure, Gomez; Clyne, Allen, Rossiter, Ibe; Lallana; Ings, Origi.

Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia).