After nearly a decade with the Rams, he left for local rivals Leicester City in January 2001 for £375,000. He played five seasons in the Premier League for the club, and is their record goalscorer in the Premier League era (32 Premier League goals). Lee Bowyer sent Leeds back ahead in the 85th minute, before Sturridge scored again in the 87th minute to rescue the game for his team. Leeds had been 2–0 up when Sturridge found the net for the Rams in the 77th minute, before Paul Simpson pulled them level a minute later. His first year in the top flight was also successful, scoring 11 league goals, including one of the goals of the season against Arsenal, and the club's very first in the Premier League when they drew 3–3 at home to Leeds United in an opening day thriller at the Baseball Ground (from which they relocated to the new Pride Park Stadium 12 months later). He then returned to score 20 goals that fired Derby to the Premier League.
He gained more first team action over the next years, particularly at lowly Torquay United during a loan spell in the 1994–95 season, where he gained many admirers for his performances. Sturridge began his career as a trainee at Derby County, and worked his way through the ranks to make his first team debut on 11 January 1992 in a 1–0 defeat at Southend United.
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