LIVERPOOL -- Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted that striker Daniel Sturridge is still lacking match sharpness, but believes he is a player with "all you need" when 100 percent.
The England international looked off the pace in Liverpool's 2-0 defeat to newly-promoted Burnley on Saturday afternoon. He was replaced midway through the second half by Divock Origi at Turf Moor after missing the Reds' Premier League opener against Arsenal due to a minor issue with his hip.
When asked whether the number of injuries over the years had affected Sturridge's pace, Klopp dismissed that suggestion and claimed the 26-year-old just needs a run of games before he can be back to his best.
"Daniel is still a quick player, there's no doubt about it," Klopp told reporters at a news conference to preview Tuesday's EFL Cup second-round tie with Burton Albion. "There were a lot of injuries in the last few years -- a few muscle injuries.
"He is still on the way back but he is still an outstanding player, but even an outstanding player needs rhythm.
"What we could see on Saturday, for example, was for sure not the best game of Daniel Sturridge since he played football but, even in a game like this, he could have scored -- that's another part of the truth. He is a really good player with all you need when he is fit."
Klopp admitted that Sturridge's replacement in east Lancashire, Origi, is also lacking in "rhythm."
The striking duo returned to Liverpool's preseason schedule at a later date than some of his teammates, having appeared at this summer's European Championships.
And while Klopp still expects the pair to put in performances of a high level, he remains realistic.
"When you have no rhythm you have to perform, " Klopp added. "We spoke about making big steps in development and things like this.
"You can make the big steps when your base is good and then you get something like rhythm. In football, I cannot give 'this' player 10 games [as] then the other player has no rhythm.
"We need the training time, we need the games and we need all that stuff together to make the next step in the development."
Despite the like-for-like substitution on the weekend, the Reds boss does believe Sturridge and Origi can form a formidable partnership in the final third, having been given plenty of encouragement following a 6-1 League Cup victory over Southampton last season.
"They played in Southampton together and it was not too bad. Obviously, they can play together." concluded Klopp.