Ex-Chelsea midfielder Andy Townsend believes that Daniel Sturridge needs to play through the pain barrier in order to save his Liverpool career.

Sturridge has struggled for regular minutes on the pitch for Liverpool over the years because of persistent fitness-related problems and the England international is currently out of action once again due to a hip injury.

There have been suggestions that Sturridge tends to avoid playing if he does not feel a 100% fit and pundit Townsend has urged the 27-year-old to get rid of such a mentality in order to salvage his Anfield career.

He said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "There are players who could help themselves more with their injuries. They have to be prepared to get out there and play when they're perhaps not 100 per cent.

"Daniel Sturridge has got to start playing if he's not 100 per cent otherwise he's not going to have a career, you're not going to play.

"All three of us sat here if you would have ducked out every time you didn't feel great, we'd have all played half the games we did.

"There are a lot of players currently playing who have to find the right solutions with their body to make it work better for them."