Owen: Sturridge is an inspiration
Having left Anfield with 158 goals in Liverpool colours, Michael Owen is well placed to judge a striker's abilities – and the 33-year-old has given the thumbs-up to Daniel Sturridge.
Since completing a move to the Reds in January of this year, the No.15 has struck 16 times in 20 appearances, including three consecutive Barclays Premier League winners in 2013-14.
Owen, who spent seven years in the first team here, revealed he was originally sceptical when the 24-year-old was linked with Liverpool but is happy to have been proved wrong.
"When Daniel signed I thought to myself: if Chelsea are willing to sell then is he really going to be what Liverpool need?" he told the Liverpool Echo.
"Especially considering Liverpool is one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
"We hadn't seen too much of him as he hardly ever played at Chelsea. But he has been an absolutely inspired signing by Brendan Rodgers.
"He has started the season really well.
"The key for him, as I know only too well from my own career, is Liverpool keeping him fit because he looks like he's got the lot. He's got pace, skill and he has finishing ability.
"Brendan clearly believes in him. In every walk of life if you feel like your boss is appreciative of what you do and gives you his backing, that's a big help.
"That's how a lot of managers have been successful over the years. Tactically, they might have fallen short at times but they were able to get the best out of players.
"In Brendan Rodgers' case, he looks like he's very tactically astute and if that's the case and players also really enjoy playing for him then he's got the best of both worlds."
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Owen later represented Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City after leaving Liverpool in the summer of 2004, before retiring at the end of last season.
The Englishman has revisited Anfield on a couple of occasions already during this campaign as part of his new punditry duties - and he has been impressed with what he has witnessed.
He added: "The only time I've missed playing since I retired was at the game against Manchester United at Anfield recently.
"The intensity and the buzz of being around the dressing room in my role with BT Sport before kick-off, you could have cut the atmosphere with a knife. It was fantastic. I thought: 'I wish I was out there'.
"Those were the days I used to love as a player - playing for Liverpool against Manchester United at Anfield.
"They thoroughly deserved to beat Manchester United and I haven't been surprised by how they've started.
"I posted on Twitter at the start of the season my league table for this season.
"I put Liverpool in fourth and I must say I took an awful lot of stick for it - people were saying I must have been on the ale that night!
"But I see no reason why they can't be in the top four. I watched loads of them in pre-season and I liked what I saw.
"They won all their friendlies pretty convincingly up until that final game against Celtic. I was on a flight back from Dublin with a lot of Liverpool fans.
"A lot of them were despondent and I couldn't understand why because I thought they looked really good. Even in that game against Celtic they dominated.
"They have won all three league games so far 1-0 but they should have been more comfortable than that.
"My only worry would be the lack of goals. Against Stoke they had to rely on a penalty save in the last minute to get the three points and Villa hardly had a kick against Liverpool but it was still only 1-0.
"But I've got to say Liverpool look really solid and everyone looks happy. They've still got Luis Suarez to come back and if they can keep key players fit then it's exciting times for them."