England and Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has hit out at the "unfair" criticism he has received this season.
Sturridge has struggled for regular game time under Jurgen Klopp this term, with the German coach often preferring to play Robert Firmino as a false nine.
The 27-year-old has also found starting opportunities difficult to come by at international level but scored the opening goal in England's 3-0 victory over Scotland on Friday night.
Sturridge appears to have the faith of Gareth Southgate but the striker's workrate has been criticised in some quarters, most notably by Graeme Souness, who believes the forward will fail to fulfil his potential.
"I don't worry about that, it's an unfair opinion," Sturridge told the Times.
"I feel that I contribute to the team with assists and goals. It doesn't really matter what people say to me."
Sturridge has launched a defence of his style of play, insisting that the decision to stay high up the pitch is borne out of a desire to provide an attacking spearhead for Southgate rather than laziness.
"My job is to score and my job is to create for the team and coming into the midfield positions is maybe too deep.
"It's important to have a focal point of the team. If I drop deep and come on the ball, do skills and take people on there's no one in the centre-forward position.
"Sometimes I have to drop in there to maybe give them a different picture to create more problems but, again, it's about being in the box. That is where I need to be," he added.
Sturridge is expected to be preferred to Jamie Vardy and handed another opportunity to lead the line against Spain tomorrow night.
Southgate could rest Kyle Walker and Danny Rose while Alan Shearer is keen for his former international teammate to employ a 3-4-3 formation against Julen Lopetegui's side.
