Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge thanks family for support after backheel goal against Sunderland

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Daniel Sturridge has thanked his family after his backheel goal for Chelsea against Sunderland on Saturday.

The 22-year-old, who played alongside Nicolas Anelka and Juan Mata in attack, put in a strong showing away at the Stadium of Light in a 2-1 victory.

The striker told the club’s official website: “My brother, my uncle, my cousin and his wife travelled to the game and for them to travel all this way and show their support was a great moment, as well as the huge support we had from the Chelsea fans."

Sturridge faces strong competition for a place in the Blues’ first team under Andre Villas-Boas, with Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres, Romelu Lukaku, Salomon Kalou and Florent Malouda all out of the starting line-up against Sunderland.

He continued: “The competition for places is very tough in the squad and the manager has shown huge faith in me to put me in the team after a three-game ban, because I have just been training for the last five weeks, including the international period.

“It was a huge result for the boys to come away from Sunderland with the three points. It is a great stadium and their fans sing very loud but our fans were excellent and it was a big result for the team. Now we need to keep winning and put pressure on the Manchester clubs.”

Sturridge went on to describe his well-taken finish, which came after 50 minutes to put the Blues 2-0 ahead.

He said: “It was a great ball from Raul Meireles, great vision from him, and I got across the centre-half and saw the keeper coming out, so I just went for a little cheeky one. The only way I could have scored was to do that, and it paid off.

“I have done it in training a few times but training is completely different to a game and for it to happen in a game is special for me.

“I was hoping that he [Wes Brown] wouldn't get it before it crossed the line but I was thinking, 'Oh God, he has got it,' and it was a huge moment to see it hit the net because I thought he was going to clear it, so I am very happy.”

Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge: 'I want to be one of the biggest players around'

Young Blues forward has admitted that he would like to 

become a fans' favorite, but for now he intends to break 

into the starting line-up and then into the England 

national team

 

Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge hopes to receive the kind of adulation from the fans that is reserved only for the best players at the club.

The 21-year-old found first-team appearances hard to come by at Stamford Bridge last season, and was loaned out to Bolton Wanderers during the second half of the campaign.

And having experienced an excellent spell under Owen Coyle, followed by a preseason tour of Asia with the west London outfit, he now hopes to break into the starting line-up and eventually the England national team.

"These guys have worldwide recognition. Seeing them come to ­countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong, and the rapport they have with fans, they are worshiped like gods," Sturridge said, according to The Sunday Mirror.

The young Englishman is hoping that a bright future lies ahead and that he can grow with the big London outfit.

"Hopefully, in a few years’ time, I can have some of that. I want to push ­myself in world ­football as far as I can and not just be content with playing in the ­Premier League. I want to be one of the biggest players around. I don’t want to be content with just being average. In a year’s time, I hope to be recognized as a better footballer, pushing towards the England squad. Now I just want to ­cement my place in the Chelsea team."