Sturridge has found it tough playing a bit-part role since moving to Stamford Bridge from Manchester City 18 months ago, with the 21-year-old restricted almost exclusively to substitute appearances. That has continued during Chelsea's worst slump in the Premier League for almost 15 years, despite Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda all failing to fire in the past two months. Sturridge took out his frustrations on Tottenham in a reserve game on Thursday, netting a remarkable five goals and impressing Carlo Ancelotti enough for the Blues boss to admit the forward deserves to start on Sunday. That would continue a theme from the early rounds of the FA Cup last season, when Sturridge started Chelsea's first three matches on the road to Wembley, scoring four times in the process. And with Drogba having suffered a knock in training on Friday, Sturridge hopes his cup record and five-star performance against Spurs are enough to earn him a recall. "It is not easy coming in and out the team," he said. "If you start a game, you are expected to do well and if you don't do well, everyone says this is why he is not playing because he doesn't take his chance. "So it is a difficult game to play for any player who doesn't start every week but hopefully if I get the chance, or anyone else does, we can take those opportunities." A knee injury prevented Sturridge staking more of a claim last month, with his most recent start coming in November's Champions League win over MSK Zilina - in which he scored. "It has been unfortunate, but hopefully the opportunity will come soon," he said. "No disrespect to reserve-team football, but every player's motivation is to start regularly in the first team." Sturridge admits Chelsea's alarming run of one win in nine league games has affected even those who have had limited involvement in it. He said: "It has been a hard time for the club, not just the players, and we are all coming in every day, trying to work as much as we can and trying to move on, getting back to the things we used to do, which was scoring plenty goals and winning games." Right-back Jose Boswinga, meanwhile, is itching to reacquaint himself with the FA Cup having missed the whole of last season's competition due to a serious knee injury. The 28-year-old Portugal star played a big part in Chelsea's 2009 triumph in what was his first year at the club. He has struggled to recapture top form since returning from injury in October and his decisive own goal in Wednesday's shock defeat at Wolves will not help him in his battle to keep Paulo Ferreira out of the team. But he said: "I love my job and feel fit again. "The first month was difficult after a year out but now I hope, step by step, to get back to my best and I hope we can start to win more matches." He added on Chelsea TV: "Last year, when we won the Premier League and the FA Cup, I was injured and was out of the country when the league finished, but I came back to watch the final against Portsmouth. "It was difficult because I was injured and wanted to help the team, but it is life. "It is a different sentiment, being happy because we won but sad because I could not play. "I remember the final from two years ago. "We won 2-1 against Everton after they scored in the first minute. "That was a very good day, my first trophy for Chelsea and I felt very happy afterwards."
