Sturridge charged for violating FA betting rules

The Football Association has charged Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge with misconduct due to an alleged breach of the governing body's betting rules during the month of January 2018.

Sturridge has until Nov. 20 to formally respond.

It's unclear what exactly Sturridge did to violate betting regulations, though the FA cited Rule E8(1)(a)(ii) and Rule E8(1)(b) in its statement:

Rule E8(1)(a) - a participant shall not bet, either directly or indirectly, or instruct, permit, cause or enable any person to bet on ... (ii) any other matter concerning or related to football anywhere in the world, including, for example and without limitation, the transfer of players, employment of managers, team selection, or disciplinary matters.

Rule E8(1)(b) - where a participant provides to any other person any information relating to football which the participant has obtained by virtue of his or her position within the game and which is not publicly available at that time, the participant shall be in breach of this Rule where any of that information is used by that other person for, or in relation to, betting.

According to James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo, Sturridge's loan move to West Brom at the start of the year is a key concern for the FA.

On Jan. 28, bookkeepers reportedly received a sudden and unexpected number of bets predicting the forward would join the Baggies, despite the club operating as a long-shot destination.

His temporary move to The Hawthorns was confirmed just 24 hours later.

"Daniel has given his full and unequivocal cooperation throughout this process and has assured the club he will continue to do so," a Liverpool spokesperson told Pearce in response to the charge. "Daniel has also stated categorically that he has never gambled on football.

"As with any issue of this nature, we will allow the process to be concluded in its entirety before making any further comment."

Following his loan spell at West Brom, Sturridge returned to Liverpool this season and has fared well in limited appearances, scoring four goals in 12 matches across all competitions.

The FA previously punished former player Joey Barton for violating its betting rules. The Premier League journeyman was handed an 18-month ban from all football activities in 2017 after admitting he placed more than 1,200 bets on the sport during his playing career. The 36-year-old has since retired and now manages third-tier side Fleetwood Town.