Daniel Sturridge
Sturridge has scored 14 times in the league this season.

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has criticised Chelsea for misusing him during his spell at Stamford Bridge after netting 14 league goals this season as the spearhead of the Reds' attack.

Sturridge scored for the sixth time since his injury return in the 1-1 Premier League draw against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday and has been an able foil for top scorer Luis Suarez throughout the campaign.

The 24 year old was a marginalised figure during his four years at Chelsea and was rarely entrusted with leading the attack, instead being forced wide while Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres took centre stage.

But now as a central figure for both Liverpool and England, Sturridge has hit back at Chelsea for having concerns over his ability to lead the line.

"I was never sure if I'd play as a striker [at Chelsea] because people didn't believe in me," the Liverpool striker said, speaking to the Anfield Wrap.

"I was often asked to play in a different position and to do a job for the team but, having been a striker and then being asked to just flick a switch and play on the wing was always going to be difficult, because mentally you're going to play the way you always have and I play on instinct.

"I think that now I'm just playing the way that I did as a kid but I'd never had the chance to do that. When I was playing as a winger at Chelsea I was overthinking it because I wasn't used to doing it.

"It's about that split second when you have to decide whether you do this or do that whereas now I'm just playing on instinct.

"I'm just doing the natural thing, playing my natural game and doing things off the cuff. Like the goal against Aston Villa, it happened so fast that I had to watch a video of it afterwards to see what I'd done."

Sturridge scored 24 goals in 96 appearances in all appearances for Chelsea but has found his feet at Liverpool since moving in January 2013, scoring 19 in 13 months on Merseyside.

Alongside Suarez Sturridge has formed the most formidable strike-partnership in the Premier League to help spearhead Liverpool's assault on a return to the Champions League.