Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he finally understood the hype around Daniel Sturridge after his side's 6-1 thrashing of Southampton.
Sturridge made his first start since October and scored a first-half brace before being substituted around the hour-mark in the League Cup quarter-final at St Mary's on Wednesday.
"I said to him after the game, 'Now I know what everyone is talking about,'" the German said.
"I knew about his quality, but I never saw it live in a stadium, in an important tournament, but the rest I knew about.
"Go on, for everybody, it's no special thing. It's important for us that we have these good strikers that can react in the moments.
"We spoke about this at Liverpool a few days ago. If everybody is fit then we have a few disappointed players, if not enough players are fit then the intensity is too high for the healthy players."
"Please. You don't really want to ask this question. How should I know? Please," he said.
"You ask me, you know him much longer than myself.
"Of course maybe he can be better. Write that, 'chairman says Daniel Sturridge can be much better than he was a few years ago.'"
