It’s time for Brendan Rodgers to take out the good china.

It’s the Merseyside derby, but not just any old Merseyside derby. This one matters to Rodgers. So Brendan, dress to impress, crack out the good china and put on a show, because John W. Henry will be watching.

And whip out the good china is exactly what Rodgers has done in an attempt to woo the boss and use this big game to save his job.

He’s been wrapped up in a combination of bubble wrap and cotton wool, been kept in a room with padded walls and floors, but today sees Daniel Sturridge take to the pitch again for Liverpool. He played a full 63 minutes against Norwich two weeks ago, and scored twice playing the full 90 last week. This week, Rodgers once again calls on the main man. Could Sturridge be the saviour of Liverpool’s start to the season? Even more important, could he be the saviour of Rodgers’ job?

Well, two seasons ago, Liverpool shot to second place in the table and almost won the league. That was thanks in part to Sturridge and Sterling, but the majority of the credit has to go to Luis Suarez who dragged his team kicking and screaming up the table - and within a stud-length of the title. But Sturridge actually has a better goals to games ratio than the Uruguayan sensation. He even has a better goals to games ratio than Fernando Torres.

If Rodgers was looking for a saviour, he may have found him in Sturridge - Brendan Rodgers’ very own fancy china.

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