Daniel Sturridge says he was key to Liverpool signing Dejan Lovren.

Now a free agent, Sturridge says Lovren was the toughest defender he faces. The Croatia international is currently playing for Zenit St Petersburg.

Lovren played a key part in Southampton's 1-0 win over the Reds at Anfield in September 2013, scoring a second-half winner and successfully keeping the in-form Sturridge quiet.

Speaking to The Beautiful Game Podcast, Sturridge was asked to name the top five centre-backs he had played against and, whilst he stopped short of including Lovren on that list, he did namecheck his former Reds teammate.

He said: “Dejan Lovren, Dejan at Southampton, before he came to Liverpool, had me up, and I was vexed, that's why he signed for Liverpool. They signed him because he had me up, you know what I mean?

“He had me in his back pocket in that game.

“I was thinking like I'm doing everything, I think they got a clean sheet, but Dej had me up in that game, they beat us."