3 Truths: Forget his goals, Daniel Sturridge still has work to do

‘What?! He was the reason Liverpool progressed,’ we hear you cry. And you’re right… sort of.

Sturridge may have bagged the crucial goals, but the reality is his performance against Tottenham was about par for the course. The 27-year-old was guilty of missing two huge opportunities – first firing straight at Michel Vorm, then blowing a simple tap-in by allowing the ball to cannon off his standing leg – and spurning a flurry of other half-chances.

[REPORT: Daniel Sturridge double sends Liverpool into quarters]

Gone are the days when he was instantly promoted into the first team when fit. He now plays second fiddle to floating midfielders, who are ripping the Premier League apart and appear to flourish in Sturridge’s absence. If he can’t create a compelling case to start – two goals against a mediocre Tottenham outfit isn’t enough, given the opportunities on offer – then Jurgen Klopp will have no qualms leaving him out.

Not that there aren’t positives. He was the match-winner and he’ll have another chance to prove himself in the quarter-final, where he has to be extra clinical.

We caught a glimpse of what Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is capable of Tuesday night, but chances will be few and far between for the 23-year-old in the Premier League. A star role in a second-string Arsenal side against Reading could be as good as it gets for ‘The Ox’ this season.

[REPORT: Oxlade-Chamberlain steers Arsenal into quarter-finals]

With Jack Wilshere currently benefiting from a loan spell at Bournemouth, it's clear Oxlade-Chamberlain would profit from following in his footsteps. Sure, another couple of performances like that and he could work his way into the starting XI, but has he got a realistic chance of ousting the likes of Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil or Alexis Sanchez on a permanent basis?

After his first goal, Oxlade-Chamberlain tapped the badge in a display of loyalty and love for the club, barely a week after he acknowledged he may have to leave Arsenal… it’s clear where his heart lies, but his brain is certainly starting to wander.

If there’s one man capable of taking Tottenham to the next level, it’s Victor Wanyama. The feisty Kenyan midfielder has sparkled since his switch from Southampton in the summer and his cameo appearance against Liverpool further increased his stock.

Until his introduction, Tottenham were completely at the sea in the middle and heading for a three or four-nil hiding. Wanyama changed that, instantly winning back possession and driving through the makeshift Liverpool midfield. If he had played the entire match, it could have been a different outcome. His rise is bad news for Eric Dier, who looks slightly lost at present, but is superb news for this Spurs side - who are a far cry from their previously flimsy predecessors at White Hart Lane.