Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana has claimed that Daniel Sturridge is "world class" and believes that the England international will have a major role to play for the club during the upcoming campaign.

Sturridge had looked on course for an Anfield exit this summer having fallen down the pecking order last season, when he made just seven Premier League starts as a result of injuries and the form of Roberto Firmino.

However, the 27-year-old has impressed Jurgen Klopp in pre-season so far, coming through each friendly unscathed, and Lallana is confident that the team will see the best of him once again during the 2017-18 season.

"Listen, Studge has been absolutely brilliant in pre-season so far. He is looking really sharp and to have him firing on all cylinders would be like having two new signings if we can keep on the pitch and get him scoring goals," he is quoted as saying by the Liverpool Echo.

"He is a world-class player. He has come back from the summer looking absolutely brilliant, so fit. He is going to be a massive player for us this season. I can feel it. You couldn't put a price on him.

"Every footballer gets injuries – Jordan [Henderson] has had a tough couple of years. We all have to deal with it at some stage in our career."

Liverpool will face Bayern Munich in the Audi Cup on Tuesday before taking on either Napoli or Atletico Madrid a day later.