The Premier League welcomed back one of the foremost controversial faces of English football last Sunday as Brendan Rodgers unleashed striker Luis Suarez on a struggling Sunderland team at the Stadium of Light.
After a limp 1-0 defeat to Manchester United in midweek, Liverpool looked to bounce back to winning ways with what appeared to be an easily obtainable 3 points against a sinking Sunderland side stranded without a manager.
Rodgers responded fielding a strong side featuring the strike partnership that’s been on everyone’s lips since the season began. After Daniel Sturridge fired Liverpool to the top of the table almost single handedly, many fans wondered just how well Luis Suarez was going to link up with the high flying Sturridge after his 157 day footballing hiatus.
A fleeting preview of a rusty Suarez saw Liverpool lose out on progression in the Capital One cup but still served as a befitting platform on which for Suarez to begin his 2013-14 campaign, with a free-kick striking the bar and glimpses of his former prowess. His sharp passing and his trademark runs caused plenty of problems for the United defence. He was however, let down by his touch on occasion leading to a disruption in his normally smoother play.
It was the Sunderland game where Suarez gave us a reminder of what his true form could hold in store for the remainder of the season. Feisty, ambitious, clinical, persistent, Suarez terrorised the Sunderland team at what can only be described as half speed.
Far from a finished article of fitness, Suarez managed still to score twice on his full league return, combining with Sturridge in a fashion of what some are already predicting to be a Liverpool partnership to watch.
It’s been a while since Liverpool have had a reliable strike team leading the line and providing an outlet for the short passing, pressing and attacking build up play Brendan Rodgers employs.
Whether Suarez is pledging a future to Liverpool with his performances or is trying to drum up business remains to be seen, but the attacker’s ability is never brought into question. Liverpool are certainly a stronger team with Suarez playing, but they did prove he wasn’t an essential component for winning games during his ban.
If they can manage to hold onto him, even if only to honour his commitment to the end of the season, he could potentially give Liverpool’s season some real bite.
On Saturday, Suarez again appeared on the scoresheet against Crystal Palace with the help of Sturridge, to make him 3 in 3 for the season so far. If form holds, and if this Liverpool side can keep up such assurance in their approach, Europe at the very least is a very realistic goal this year.
Suarez can and will play a huge part in firing Liverpool back into the Europa League or, as dreamers will say, even the Champions League.
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The most controversial in english football. So he is a racist diving nutcase who bites…is this just throw enough muck and eventually some will stick. Did ivanovich have any bite marks did he have to get tetanus shot ? NO …DID bale get booked 9 times for diving and suarez 2 times and the word negretto maybe be a insult but not racist .any one who knowd suarez backround would clearly know he is not a racist…so just lay off why did no one look in to flecher punching player last game last season….bryan robson caught doing dodgy dealings in thailand.. or what about the ammount of penalties at old trafford 3 in 20 years
Moyes =BEAVIS
Why do these muppet writers keep hounding Suarez. Their is no justification in the use of the headline terminology. Can’t these guys grow up.