Under kvällen kom nyheten att Daniel Sturridge blivit ”charged with betting conduct” av engelska FA. Fotbollsförbundet har gått ut med följande information på sin officiella hemsida.

Daniel Sturridge has been charged with misconduct in relation to alleged breaches of The FA’s Betting Rules, specifically in relation to Rule E8(1)(a)(ii) and Rule E8(1)(b), during the period of January 2018.

”Rule E8(1)(a) – a participant shall not bet, either directly or indirectly, or instruct, permit, cause or enable any person to bet on – (i) the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of, or occurrence in or in connection with, a football match or competition; or (ii) any other matter concerning or related to football anywhere in the world, including, for example and without limitation, the transfer of players, employment of managers, team selection or disciplinary matters.

”Rule E8(1)(b) – where a participant provides to any other person any information relating to football which the participant has obtained by virtue of his or her position within the game and which is not publicly available at that time, the participant shall be in breach of this Rule where any of that information is used by that other person for, or in relation to, betting.”

Det är i dagsläget oklart kring detaljerna om exakt vad Sturridge gjort sig skyldig till och när, men det tros ha ägt rum efter hans flytt till West Bromwich vid årsskiftet. Spelaren har till och med den 20 november på sig att bemöta anklagelserna.

En talesperson från Liverpool har uttalat sig å Sturridges vägnar och betonar att spelaren nekar till anklagelserna men att han kommer samarbeta genom hela processen.

“Daniel has given his full and unequivocal cooperation throughout this process and has assured the club he will continue to do so.

“Daniel has also stated categorically that he has never gambled on football. “As with any issue of this nature, we will allow the process to be concluded in its entirety before making any further comment.”