Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers hopes that England internationals Daniel Sturridge and Jordan Henderson will provide the club with a boost by returning for Norwich City's visit to Anfield on Sunday.

Rodgers, whose team have suffered successive league defeats, told reporters on Friday that both will be assessed after a further training session and are in contention for a place.

Henderson, who took over the captaincy when Steven Gerrard left for LA Galaxy in the close-season, recently had treatment in the United States to cure a heel injury.

Sturridge has been badly missed in the past year, having started only seven league games last season and none in the new campaign.

"When you miss players of that calibre it's going to have an impact," Rodgers said.

"A player who can get you 25-plus goals in a season is going to be missed. On his game he's one of the best there is. He can stretch teams, and has wonderful variety in his finishing.

"We know we need to create and score more."

Last season, with Sturridge often injured and Luis Suarez sold to Barcelona, Liverpool scored only 52 goals and dropped four places from the previous campaign to sixth.

So far this season they have scored three in five games, losing the last two, 3-0 at home to West Ham United and 3-1 away to Manchester United.

"It only takes that one performance to spin the season round again," insisted Rodgers, who has faced increased criticism from supporters and pundits in recent weeks.

"It's the nature of management. I always focus on what I can control. I can't control what's said about me.

"Norwich will be difficult. It's up to us to impose our game, our intensity, and take some risks."

Visiting manager Alex Neil has sympathy for Rodgers and his team.

"I think it's been tough for them," he said.

"They've had a hard run of fixtures from the start, and when you're in charge of one of the big clubs and you lose a couple of games, it's a 'crisis'. I think it's a bit unfair at times."

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