Sturridge had bizarre pre-match superstition but it doesn't compare to Defoe's

The former striker is making waves in the world of punditry and TV nowadays, earning a spot on Sky Sports' Premier League coverage alongside Roy Keane, Micah Richards and Jamie Carragher.

However, it was just a few years ago that he was one of the most exciting forwards in English football after breaking through at Manchester City.

After that he scored 24 goals in 96 appearances for Chelsea, before moving to Liverpool where he racked up 68 goals in 160 games as the Reds so nearly won the Premier League title in the 2013/14 season.

Sturridge scored a career-best 25 goals, 22 in the Premier League, that campaign and perhaps he was helped by his superstitious methods, which has been noticed by his former England teammate Danny Rose.

Speaking with with Dressing Room DJ in 2017, Rose said: "I've played with Daniel Sturridge, and I've noticed he always walks backwards onto the pitch, both the training pitch and on match day.

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"When he was at Spurs, Jermain Defoe said he'd always have the volume on his TV at 18. That was his squad number as well, so it was very strange.

"He has a surround sound in his house, and the speakers on that had to be at 18 too. That's probably one of the strangest superstitions I've come across."

Sturridge admitted that missing out on the Premier League title with Liverpool was one of his biggest regrets in football.

Speaking on A League Of Their Own, he said: "I still think about it today to be honest, because you always think you get so close to that success.

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"Sometimes I'm driving in my car and I hear a tune that was playing that year in the dressing room, I'm vibing and then I think, 'Damn, we didn't get it done.'

"But you know, fortunately for the club, they won the Premier League and it was a great moment for them."

Fellow panellist and former Lioness Jill Scott took the opportunity to crack a joke in response, saying: "Maybe if you hadn't been vibing, you might have got it done."

Sturridge was left speechless and could only mutter a 'Wow' as the studio audience burst into laughter.