Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will finally return to the first team in this weekend’s huge clash against Manchester United.
The England midfielder has been sidelined with a troublesome groin for the past 6 months and hasn’t started a league game for Liverpool since their 3-1 victory against United at Anfield in March. But despite the return of the influential captain, Luis Suarez has arguably now become the most important player in the Liverpool side.
The Uruguayan international has only been at the club for 8 months and made only 20 appearances, but in that time he has already managed to endear himself to the Liverpool fans. Suarez scored 4 goals in 13 games last season and he has bettered that tally this season by bagging 5 goals in just 9 games already.
Gerrard has obviously been missed in his time out of the team, he is a world class midfielder and Liverpool do not have another midfielder that does what he does. In the past Liverpool would always be classed as a ‘one man team’ and if Gerrard was missing, Liverpool would collapse.
But Suarez has finally taken some of the pressure off Gerrard’s shoulders with some eye-catching displays. The Uruguayan has also made Liverpool fans quickly forget about their former hero, Fernando Torres.
While the £50 million Chelsea striker still struggles to get back to his best at Stamford Bridge, Liverpool have a player who is simply getting better and better.
There is no doubt that Liverpool fans fondly remember the devastating partnership that Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres had, but the kop will finally get to see Gerrard and Suarez link up for the first time in 6 months and it is a mouth watering prospect.
Speaking to the club’s official website last month, Gerrard said that Suarez can join the greats of Liverpool. Asked whether Suarez can become an all-time great, Gerrard said: “He’s still young enough and I’m sure he’s going to get even better than he is now, which is a scary thought,” said the Liverpool skipper.
“He’s got the appetite for the game to learn and get better. Hopefully he will go on here for a long time because he’s certainly got a massive part to play at this club in the future – the history is there to be written.”
With Gerrard back in the team and back to full fitness, Liverpool should go from strength to strength and really push on. A team with Gerrard, Suarez and Stewart Downing will cause problems for any defence.
This weekend’s fixture at Anfield presents Liverpool with their biggest match of the season, against Manchester United. This is undoubtedly the biggest match on the Premier League calendar and Liverpool are finally ready to unleash their skipper back into action and partner him with Suarez.
Liverpool won this fixture last season thanks to a Dirk Kuyt hat-trick, but it was Luis Suarez’s name that was on everybody’s lips at full time.
The diminutive striker ran the show from start to finish and put in one of the best individual displays by any player last season. Liverpool fans will be hoping for a repeat performance by Suarez to put their arch rivals to the sword once again.
Twitter: @TariqSaleh21
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Play this guy in a 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 system with him behind Suarez. They will hit it off because unlike Carroll at the moment Gerrard has that experience and finesse to read Suarez’s movements and pick him out. He is also a good finisher anywhere inside the box and just outside of it, cant wait to see the man back in the team.
It’s highly contentious whether Luis Suarez is Liverpool’s new talisman. What is absolutely certain though is that Carroll plays like a donkey and looks every bit the part. While at the same time, Anfield has a mule in Henderson and Lucas is a complete jackass.
I think that’s really harsh on Lucas considering he was our player of the year last season and is our most improved player in the last 18 months. However I agree Carroll and Henderson weren’t the best of signings but we’ve got to get behind them and keep supporting anyone who pulls on a Liverpool shirt.