Sturridge, who made his first start under Klopp after his well documented injury problems, cancelled out Sadio Mané’s opener before adding an equally well-taken second.
Divock Origi then took over, scoring a memorable hat-trick – his first goals in a Liverpool shirt – with the club’s other one coming from the substitute, Jordan Ibe.
Klopp clearly enjoyed himself on the touchline in the closing stages and he brought a degree of levity into his post-match press conference, even offering up a suggestion for the top of journalists’ pieces.
“Maybe Daniel can be better,” Klopp said. “Write that. Jürgen said maybe he could be much better. I said to him after the game: ‘Now I know what everybody is talking about.’ I knew about his quality but not live in a stadium.”
Klopp was also delighted with Origi, whose second goal, lashed high into the net, was the pick of the bunch. “We had a talk,” Klopp said. “It’s not too often that we agree in everything but I said he had learn this and that, don’t make this too difficult, and he said, ‘Yes, I know.’
“He wants to show everything in the short time he plays – everyone wanted him before Liverpool bought him – but he has to learn. He has to be patient. That’s the truth. Tonight he did everything simple, easy passes and finishes and movement. He got some good passes, but he’s still young and has to learn.”
After only eight weeks in charge Klopp has the scent of silverware but he maintained that feet needed the remain on the ground. “We have Stoke in the semi-final,” he said. “I had a few semi-finals in my life and there was never an easy one. Stoke will want to be in this final as much as possible.
“It’s in January, though, so we have to wait a bit. Whose idea was this, two [legs to the] semi-finals? It was [in place] before television?!
“There’s more confidence to the team but we can’t dream. We have to work. If somebody thinks it’s an easy game against Newcastle on Sunday … it’s really difficult to go there after two days’ break and play again. Hard work. But this game, it’s really good.”