Jamie Carragher questions Daniel Sturridge's long-term future at Liverpool

Jamie Carragher has questioned Daniel Sturridge's future at Liverpool as the striker has been sparingly used by Jurgen Klopp this season. The Reds legend is unsure if the England international in the manager's plans after losing his spot in the starting XI.

The 27-year-old forward is likely to make the starting XI when Manchester United visit Anfield on Monday (17 October), but Carragher is concerned that he will not make the lineup when all the players are fit. Adam Lallana and Georginio Wijnaldum are injury doubts for the game and the striker could come in for the former.

Roberto Firmino has been preferred in the central attacking role by the German coach thus far this season, with Sturridge just starting three of the seven games played in the Premier League thus far. The former Chelsea forward had aired his frustration earlier in the season about not being played in his preferred number nine role, which he has done this season, but has also been played on the right-wing.

Sturridge is yet to score a goal this season, and the game against arch rivals United could be the ideal platform for the striker to begin his claim for a place in the starting XI on a regular basis. At the moment however, Carragher is sure that he does not feature in the manager's future plans.

"Possibly not. Because I think when Jurgen Klopp picks his best team – when everyone's fit – I don't think Sturridge is in it, at this moment. I think Daniel may play on Monday because of a few injuries and Firmino may play out wide and Coutinho may play central, that was the situation at Swansea and Liverpool won," Carragher told talkSPORT.

"But when everyone's fit and firing, I don't think he quite gets in the eleven. When he doesn't, I think it's [been] proven at the end of last season at times, and even this season on the back of a great win at Chelsea.

"I think there was a home game a week later and he wasn't involved – having been part of a victory at Chelsea – I think that shows that [Sturridge is not in Klopp's best team].

"I think Daniel's goal scoring record alone is fantastic – he would walk into most teams – but Jurgen Klopp wants a lot more than just scoring goals from his attacking players. He wants work rate, players coming back to help the team. I think Firmino fits that bill for him at this moment in that central role," the former Reds defender explained.