Liverpool assistant boss Colin Pascoe has insisted that Daniel Sturridge's return to full fitness is a "progression".

The 25-year-old made his first start following a five-month spell on the sidelines with injuries on Tuesday night against Tottenham Hotspur.

Sturridge played 74 minutes of the Reds' 3-2 victory at Anfield before being substituted by manager Brendan Rodgers.

"The manager will pick the strongest side," Pascoe told reporters in this morning's press conference. "We don't want to push [Sturridge], he's not far off 90 minutes.

"He didn't want to come off [against Spurs]. He's desperate to play, 60-70 minutes was the maximum we could push him, it's a progression with Daniel. We will monitor him, but if he's feeling great we will talk."

Liverpool's next game is an FA Cup fifth-round tie against Crystal Palace on Saturday.