Dyche empathises with Liverpool striker crisis

Burnley boss Sean Dyche has backed Liverpool to beat their striker crisis, empathising with the loss of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge.

Suarez’s sale to Barcelona and the loss of Sturridge to ongoing injury issues has shorn Rodgers of the services of a duo who netted 52 goals in last season’s Premier League title tilt.

Aside from Sturride’s strike against Southampton in Liverpool’s first game of the season, Rickie Lambert is the only other recognised striker at Rodgers’ disposal to have scored a Premier League goal this term, with high-profile signing Mario Balotelli thus far failing to fire.

Dyche himself has had to cope without one half of a fearsome strike duo which shot Burnley to promotion last term, with Sam Vokes unable to play yet this season as he recovers from a serious knee injury.

Danny Ings has begun to find form after also suffering injuries earlier in the campaign, and Dyche feels his and Rodgers’ experiences are similar.

“He’s missing two massive players – Suarez and Sturridge, who in certain games last year were unmarkable and unplayable,” said Dyche.

“That has got to be a loss for any manager.

“We’re saying, even at Burnley, that we were missing Vokes and Ings, and they are still learning to be Suarez and Sturridge-type players.

“So if we were missing them, it’s fair to say Brendan is missing those two.

“That’s why the world demands ‘can we find a striker?’. It changes the whole view of your team. Vokes and Ings were incredible last year and made the team even more effective than what it might have been without them.

“Liverpool look a different unit without those two. Are they as good? The question marks are out there, but strikers make the difference.”