Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed that the club are being "careful" with Daniel Sturridge's fitness after he recently returned from a five-month layoff.
Sturridge was substituted with 15 minutes remaining of extra time against Besiktas on Thursday night, but Rodgers has insisted that his withdrawal was precautionary and the England international is available for Sunday's clash with Manchester City.
The 42-year-old told reporters: "We have to manage Daniel. He had given everything in the game. It's maybe easier to look from the outside and think that he would continue to play but this is a player who is coming back from five months out injured. He's gaining his fitness in the games.
"We have to be really, really careful that he doesn't break down because Daniel's history shows that. We have to try to manage that the best way that we can and there has been very little training between the games because you have to play, recover and play again.
"He had given everything and there was no more in his legs. We just needed to take him off to prevent an injury while he was very tired."
Sturridge has scored twice in eight appearances in all competitions since January 31.
Darren Plant
