SAS send Baggies packing

Luis Suarez demonstrated why Liverpool were so determined to keep hold of him during the summer in a masterful performance yesterday.

Smashing his record of not managing to score against West Bromwich Albion, Suarez banged three past the Baggies to not only claim the match ball, but also put the Reds firmly on the path to a well-deserved win and second place in the Premier League table, two points behind table-toppers Arsenal. Daniel Sturridge joined in the fun later on, magnificently chipping the ball over the keeper and into the net from the edge of the area to allay any anxiety that may have existed after Morrison pulled one back for the visitors from a controversial spot kick. 

Suarez smiles for a photo with the match ball

Suarez was on the offence from the go, dragging a shot wide of the far post six minutes in. We then saw both the good and the bad of the number seven soon after, as he first went down far too easily in the penalty area in an unsuccessful attempt to win a penalty and then opened the scoring with a sublime show of individual talent. 

Picking the ball up deep, the Uruguayan immensely bypassed three West Brom defenders with embarrassing ease and then fired low past Myhill and into the bottom corner. He was at it again only five minutes later, somehow managing to find the top corner with a header from 18 yards out after Cissokho’s powerful centre found Suarez, more by chance than design.

Playing in the most advanced of the central midfield positions behind the stunning SAS, Henderson pressed the West Brom defence persistently, safe in the knowledge that Lucas Leiva, who returned to the line-up following the birth of his second child, was there behind him to keep guard of the defence. His efforts were almost rewarded with an impressive goal five minutes before the break but his curling strike towards the top right hand corner went narrowly over the bar.

At the other end, the only real chance Steve Clarke’s men created came on the stroke of half time when ex-Red Nicolas Anelka nipped between Skrtel and Mignolet and prodded goalwards, but thankfully our clean shaven number 37 recovered in time to make a clearance that denied the Baggies a goal that would have brought them back into the contest and made the second period far less comfortable for the dominant hosts.

Man of the moment Luis Suarez, meanwhile, was still searching for his hat-trick, terrorising Albion’s backline in the process. Ten minutes before the interval he hit a free kick just wide of the post and it wasn’t until ten minutes after the restart that he found what he was looking for. Latching onto Gerrard’s perfect set piece delivery, Suarez glanced a header into the net at the Kop end to score his- and Liverpool’s- third goal, ensuring three points would be added to Liverpool’s account at the end of the 90 minutes.

"Luis. Magician." John Henry says it all in a two-word Tweet

Sturridge then blazed against the bar as the Merseysiders threatened to run riot, but the Baggies were controversially rewarded a penalty midway through the second period to temporarily rain on the Reds’ parade. Billy Jones went down under Lucas' tackle in the penalty area and, although referee Jonathan Moss allowed play to proceed, he changed his mind when his assistant flagged for a penalty. From the spot, Morrison scored what turned out to be a consolation for West Brom, although at the time a swift second goal from the visitors would have been a serious cause for concern.

As it turned out, Kopites had no reason to worry, as Sturridge dispelled all concerns with a goal that brought a smile to the face of every Red. Twenty yards from goal, the in-form England international unexpectedly sent a stupendous chip over Myhill and into the back of the net. 

Sturridge celebrates in his traditional manner

It was an unbelievably good goal from Sturridge, but not enough to steal the limelight from Suarez, who left the field to a standing ovation a minute from time as he was replaced by Luis Alberto. Before then he had cheekily tried to add a fourth to his total with an improvised overhead kick, but Myhill did well to push the acrobatic attempt onto the crossbar.

Considering West Brom’s form going into the match yesterday- they were unbeaten in five and had won at Old Trafford- and their recent record in this fixture- the Baggies had won their last three League matches versus Liverpool- this was a really pleasing victory. Liverpool were imperiously good from the first to the final whistle, dominating in a fashion not seen since the dizzying heights of Rafael Benitez’s era at Anfield.

With Suarez and Sturridge firing on all cylinders, both individually and as a partnership, this was the perfect preparation for Liverpool’s most difficult task of the season; next week’s visit to the Emirates Stadium. If the Reds replicate this display they’ll have every chance of securing a win that will send an emphatic message to the rest of the Premier League.

YNWA

Reds held by ten-man Toon

You know it's been a disappointing match when an away draw feels like a dismal defeat.

There is no doubt Liverpool should have beaten Newcastle United yesterday lunchtime. Our recent record against them has been impressive- the Reds had won 10 of their previous 14 Premier League games against the Geordies- and, after the ascendancy was handed to us on a plate just before half time when Mbiwa saw red for fouling Suarez and Gerrard notched his 100th League goal from the spot, there was little excuse for failing to go on and claim all three points.

As it turned out, the Merseysiders failed to capitalise on the situation and Newcastle, to their credit, fought valiantly to earn a well deserved point, which they could have even conceivably converted into three but for the brilliance of Liverpool's famed SAS.

Right from the off, the Reds didn't appear to be at the races. With players like Gerrard, Sturridge and Suarez perhaps suffering from fatigue after some important international fixtures and others, namely Glen Johnson and Aly Cissokho, playing for the first time since injury, Rodgers' side lacked the sharpness and dynamism that has characterised their first half displays this season. Meanwhile, the hosts seemed intent on building on their 2-1 victory at Cardiff last time out and performed significantly better than they did earlier on in the campaign.

Despite taking seemingly countless corners, the visitors weren't able to profit from them and it was Newcastle who opened the scoring midway through the first half. Yohan Cabaye, who was vilified in the summer by the Geordie faithful after pining for a move away from the North East, went some way to winning back their affection when he somehow managed to strike past Mignolet and into the bottom corner from a ridiculous range.

Mignolet perhaps should have dealt with Cabaye's effort better

Admittedly the ball bounced awkwardly just in front of him, but I can't help feeling Mignolet should have done better.

Sakho nearly responded immediately for Liverpool, stooping to direct his header over the bar when he perhaps should have at least hit the target, but Newcastle retained their momentum and went close to doubling their lead. First, Cabaye blasted just wide before Moussa Sissoko hammered an effort on target, forcing Mignolet to make a smart stop.

The Magpies squandered their momentum four minutes before the interval, though, when last man Mbiwa fouled Suarez as he was rushing through on goal and was inevitably and correctly sent off by referee Andre Marriner, despite the vociferous protests of the Newcastle players. Captain fantastic Steven Gerrard predictably kept his cool and calmly converted the resulting penalty to bag his 100th League goal.

Gerrard's 100th League goal was supposed to be the start of Liverpool's supremacy

At that point many spectators envisaged Liverpool going on to dominate the second half, taking advantage of their extra man and the level scoreline to net further and comfortably collect all three points. Unfortunately, it didn't quite go to plan. Instead, the Merseysiders continued their irritating habit of poor second half performances and remained sluggish, only really coming to life when they were shocked into action by Paul Dummett unexpectedly regaining the lead for the Geordies.

When Dummett found the back of the net moments before the hour mark, it was in large part due to some shoddy defending from Sakho and Cissokho from a free kick. Failing to emulate their defensive teammate Skrtel, who had only minutes earlier crucially intervened to prevent Remy going through on goal, the French pair failed to clear the ball into the box and Dummett ghosted in behind them to connect at the back post and guide the ball beyond Mignolet.

Thankfully, at the other end of the pitch Suarez and Sturridge saved the day, combining to equalise on 71 minutes. Moses did well to find the number seven, who clipped the ball across the box to Sturridge and the England international headed into an open net with little difficulty from yards out.

Suarez set up the Reds' second equaliser

Suarez then smashed against the cross bar as Liverpool threatened further, monopolising possession and dominating during the closing stages but ultimately failing to break down the stubborn Barcodes. Luis Suarez had the chance to clinch a last gasp winner with literally the last kick of the match but frustratingly Krul dealt with his free kick from the edge of the area to deny the Uruguyuan.

After Newcastle surrendered the driving seat and handed control of the contest to Liverpool, it is deeply frustrating that we didn't go on to punish the hosts and win the match comfortably, which is what we should have done. Taking a step back, though, and looking at the bigger picture, a point at St James' Park isn't disastrous. Alan Pardew's men can trouble any opponents on their day and few will find a trip to Tyneside easy.

At this point in the campaign, even after this disappointing draw, there are far more reasons for Liverpool fans to be optimistic than for them to be pessimistic and, if the Reds can remain in the top four ten matches into the Premier League season, Kopites' cups will be more than half full.

YNWA

What Liverpool fans can learn from the rise of Jordan Henderson

Liverpool fans are special.

Not only are they the most passionate fans in the world, with a love for the club best demonstrated in the stirring renditions of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ before every home match, they are also the most knowledgeable supporters, possessing an encyclopaedic understanding of everything football-related, from players, both senior and youth, to managers and from teams to tactics.

Our uniqueness doesn’t make us infallible, however. Although on the whole Kopites can judge a player with a high degree of accuracy, they can, on occasion, be proven wrong in hindsight and are not immune from the tendency to create scapegoats that are burdened with the majority of the criticism during difficult spells. This has been the case in recent years with two players in particular, namely Dirk Kuyt and Lucas Leiva.

The former was lambasted as being merely a workhorse, capable of running all day but lacking quality and a decent strike rate, a criticism thrown at him despite being asked to play as a right winger rather than a central striker by Benitez, a move that lowered the amount of goals he scored in the short term but turned out to be inspired as the Dutchman proved the critics wrong and became an integral part of the current Napoli manager’s starting line-up and a fans’ favourite in the process. He also developed the helpful habit of scoring goals at just the right moments in big matches, helping sway supporters’ opinion of him.

The latter was perhaps derided even more than Kuyt, being vehemently slated by supporters opposing Benitez, who claimed the Spaniard’s supposed blind loyalty to the Brazilian was evidence of Benitez’s unreasonable stubbornness and refusal to admit transfer policy mistakes. Thank God he didn't listen to them and stuck to his guns. Few fans can now envisage a Liverpool side without the steady hand of Lucas Leiva on the tiller, guiding the Reds’ ship to its intended port of call.

His ability to keep things ticking over nicely in the heart of the midfield with timely tackles and accurate passes often goes unseen by those whose study of football goes little deeper than watching Match of the Day, but if you analyse the game in greater depth it becomes apparent that Lucas’ often underappreciated role is fundamental to the success of star players such as Suarez, Sturridge and Coutinho, who receive far more plaudits and accolades than the number 21 quietly going about his work.

Henderson is the new Lucas Leiva

This season the emergence of Jordan Henderson has provoked striking comparisons with the development of his midfield teammate Lucas. Signed from Sunderland in the summer of 2011 for £16 million, nobody denies that Henderson initially struggled to make an impact on Merseyside. Hampered with excessive expectations due to his hefty price tag, Henderson was often lumped in with Carroll and Downing in the category labelled ‘Players Dalglish blew big money on’.

However, despite Dalglish giving him regular appearances in the team, they were rarely in his preferred position, the Scot ordinarily placing him on the right wing of a conventional midfield four or sometimes even starting him at right back, a position he obviously appeared uncomfortable in. It was all rather a lot for a person who was only 21 years old.

Admittedly, Henderson is still rarely picked in his preferred central role, his start next to Gerrard versus Crystal Palace an exception triggered by the suspension of Lucas rather than a rule, although he performed so well that some suggest Lucas may have a task on his hands returning to the team, particularly if Glen Johnson is fit and able to take over at right wing back after the international break. However, Henderson appears to have developed to such an extent that he now adds the key asset of versatility to the team.

Additionally, he no longer has primarily defensive responsibilities. When Dalglish played Henderson at right back it was usually in a flat back four as an emergency move due to injuries. This role was clearly unnatural to Henderson and he wasn’t suited to it. The subtle difference with Brendan Rodgers is that when he picks Henderson at right wing back it is not a rushed decision in dire circumstances, it is part of a well-thought through plan that the Northern Irishman is fine-tuning to rejuvenate the Reds with a flexible 3-4-1-2 formation. With three centre backs and Jose Enrique on the other wing, Henderson can concentrate on attacking. He fulfils his defensive duties ably without being denied the ability to express his creative talents further forward. This is perhaps why Steven Gerrard is the only Liverpool player to have created more chances in the League than Henderson this season.

The energy with which Henderson has gone about his impressive work has also struck Reds. Industrious, athletic and conscientious, Henderson has the engine to drive him on for 90 minutes and more, which explains why, alongside Gerrard and Mignolet, he is the only player to have played every single minute of Liverpool’s league matches during this campaign.

It’s hard to countenance how Henderson was offered to Fulham as a makeweight in the Dempsey deal 12 months ago; such has been the speed and the significance of his development. While the American has now returned to the States to play for the little known Seattle Sounders, Henderson has gone from strength to strength in Liverpool Red, and it’s not unrealistic to expect him to challenge Manchester United’s Tom Cleverely for his spot in Roy Hodgson’s England squad in the not too distant future, possibly earning a ticket to Brazil for the World Cup in 2014 should the Three Lions safely negotiate two tricky group matches and qualify.

Henderson deserves to be in the England squad

What lessons can we as supporters learn, then, from the rise of Jordan Henderson?

Primarily, that it is important not to rush to judgement regarding a player’s ability, particularly when they arrive at the club at a young age. This is unquestionably difficult, as rushing to judgement on a player seems almost instinctive in the instant results culture that exists in the highly pressured world of elite professional football.

Speaking as chief of the hypocrites, in another article for this site I unwisely labelled Samed Yesil ‘awful’, which was a mistake in hindsight. More widely, Iago Aspas has already been written off by a large number of fans, ignoring the fact that he scored four and created four when granted the freedom to play in his preferred role down the middle during pre-season, when Sturridge was injured and Suarez was at the Confederations Cup. It may have been an anomaly but it might also prove that he has some potential that may be realised when he has settled in at the club. The point is, we can’t know for sure and consequently should avoid judging him at this early stage of his Anfield career.

Additionally, we must not undermine the value of hard work, stamina and conscientious performances. Yes, I understand and agree that expending all their effort is the minimal requirement for a handsomely paid professional footballer, but we must also recognise that the exceptional energy levels and industry of particular players does add an element to the team that isn’t provided by others. While Henderson is covering every blade of grass for 90 minutes week in, week out Coutinho, for example, is concentrating on carving out goalscoring chances in a relatively small portion of the pitch and is often substituted as he gets tired towards the end of matches and thus becomes less effective. Both players undoubtedly add value and are assets to the Reds, just in different ways which complement and enhance each other. The argument that ‘all he does is work hard’ is therefore normally invalid.

Following a protracted and difficult settling in period, Henderson appears to be coming good and game after game looks much more likely to follow the career path of Lucas Leiva rather than Stewart Downing, which is immensely encouraging. If he continues to improve and remain an integral part of Brendan Rodgers’ side then the vast majority of Reds supporters will be more than happy that he has proven them wrong.

YNWA

(This article originally appeared on This is Anfield.)

SAS strike again to punish Palace

It feels good to be top of the table, however briefly.

Liverpool’s super SAS strike-force fired them to a 3-1 victory over the struggling Crystal Palace at Anfield yesterday, propelling them to the top of the Premier League table, one point ahead of second placed Arsenal, who play West Bromwich Albion this afternoon.

A frenetic and fruitful first half saw Suarez and Sturridge score in quick succession, before Steven Gerrard netted his 99th League goal from the penalty spot to put the outcome of the contest beyond doubt. A far less eventful second half was notable only for Liverpool’s lull and Palace’s consolation goal, bagged by 22-year forward Dwight Gayle in front of a boisterous away support with 15 minutes left on the clock.

Liverpool’s first half supremacy wasn’t absolute, however, as the visitors began promisingly, Jerome glancing Puncheon’s cross wide with his head when he should have tested Mignolet on eight minutes. After a difficult start to the season consisting of five defeats from six, Ian Holloway set his side up to have a go in the knowledge that they were expected to take nothing from the contest. With Raheem Sterling clearly out of place at right wing back, the Eagles looked capable of troubling the Reds’ back line.

"I can't wait to hear that song; I'll have a tear in my eye. That song is worth just standing there, it's worth a 10-0 hammering.” Never mind the points; Ian Holloway was happy enough just to hear the Kop sing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’

Thankfully, at the other end Palace’s defenders faced an impossible job trying to contain the dynamic Suarez and Sturridge, who came to life to terrorise the visitors’ defence and calm Kopites’ nerves with a couple of early goals. First, Suarez swapped passes with his best mate Jose Enrique, who deserves to keep his place in the team purely on the basis of his understanding with the Uruguayan, before sweeping the ball into the back of the net despite losing his footing in the penalty area.

Slipping couldn't stop Suarez scoring

Then, after Sturridge’s shot had been saved, the England international twisted and turned his way beyond Ward and fired across goal into the bottom corner. With their front two in this kind of form, Liverpool can expect to get results and pick up points even if the rest of the side fail to reach top gear.

Palace responded positively, Toure clearing off the line and Mignolet making a fine save to deny Puncheon, but a soft penalty ten minutes before the break put to bed any hopes the Londoners may have had of finding a route back into the match.

On one of his many promising runs forward, Sterling cut into the box and was pulled back by Moxey as he tried to reach Suarez’s pass. It would be fair to say Sterling ‘won’ the penalty, as the exceedingly generous Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot. Gerrard stood up to confidently convert past Speroni, claiming another club record as he scored in his 15th consecutive season.

Nobody doubted Gerrard would find the net from the penalty spot

Ending the half with a bang, Liverpool peppered Palace’s goal with efforts on target. Victor Moses squandered the chance to get in on the goalscoring fun by somehow hitting the bar from close range when it seemed easier to score, before Speroni thwarted Sturridge twice and Suarez once as the Reds’ attack delighted Anfield.

Unfortunately, the same kind of intensity couldn't be maintained into the second period, as Liverpool took their foot off the accelerator and seemed to prefer a pleasant Saturday afternoon stroll to battering their opponents and boosting their goal difference. In fact, it appeared more likely that Palace would score a consolation than that the home side would extend their lead, Gayle shooting high and wide on 67 minutes. He eventually got the goal Palace’s performance deserved with a quarter of an hour remaining, glancing a header into the far corner from a corner kick before celebrating in front of the travelling fans.

Five minutes from time Sturridge hit the woodwork, but the Merseysiders failed to net the fourth goal that would have added a respectable gloss to what was a fairly average second half performance.

It’s hard to criticise Liverpool when they sit top of the table after one of the best starts to a season in the Premier League era, but they must start extending their good performances into the second 45 minutes of matches if they are to continue to claim residence in the highest echelons of the League.

"It's not enough to just win games, for me, I'm very much someone who worries about playing well. We'll take the three points but we need to improve our level with the football.” Brendan Rodgers’ evaluation is spot on

In terms of positives, ignoring the obvious sensational form of the SAS, Henderson played particularly well in place of the suspended Lucas, who looks to have a job on his hands to reclaim his place in the team based on the former Sunderland player’s performance yesterday and recent form. The back three of Sakho, Skrtel and Toure also put in decent displays, finally giving vice-captain Daniel Agger some competition for a starting berth.

Ultimately, it’s good to be back to winning ways and hopefully the momentum gained from wins over the two worst teams in the League will be carried over into fixtures against Newcastle and West Brom after the international break.

YNWA

Suarez and Sturridge slay Sunderland

Those who said Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge can’t play together must have faces as red as the pair’s shirts right now.

The dynamic duo were in scintillating form at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light yesterday teatime, the latter assisting the former to score twice on his return to Premier League football after opening the scoring himself, as Liverpool secured their first win by more than one goal to propel them into second place in the table.

Despite failing to reach top gear for long stretches of play and suffering some uncomfortable spells when Sunderland exerted pressure, particularly after they pulled one back early in the second half, Liverpool claimed all three points, primarily because of the excellent work of their front pair, as well as the supporting Victor Moses. Combining together encouragingly effectively, Suarez and Sturridge proved too hot for the Black Cats’ back four to handle, leading boss Brendan Rodgers to label the strike partnership the best one in the League in post-match interviews.

“Those two will only get better; you see the understanding. We have done a lot of work with them together in training. They looked very bright today.” Rodgers on Sturridge and Suarez

Simon Mignolet and Jordan Henderson received warm applause from the home supporters as they returned to their former club as part of an unchanged line-up from Liverpool’s arguably undeserved midweek League Cup exit at the hands of David Moyes’ Manchester United.

Buoyed by the recent departure of Paolo Di Canio, whose eccentric personality and demanding managerial techniques made him unpopular with both players and fans, Sunderland started brightly, although the visitors created the best goalscoring opportunities in the early stages. After Suarez shot narrowly wide from range, Martin Skrtel converted the rebound after Kieran Westwood had parried Gerrard’s low free kick but he was offside by the narrowest of margins.

Midway through the first half Larsson’s fantastic free kick smashed against the cross bar, but Liverpool responded in the best manner possible, netting twice in ten minutes to severely deflate the hosts, whose incompetent defending came back to haunt them. First, Sturridge forced the ball over the line from close range from Gerrard’s corner, bundling the ball past the unfocused Larsson on the goal line.

Sturridge celebrates scoring the opener

For those who suggest the ball came off his hand rather than his head I have just two words: beach ball.

Then, Steven Gerrard, who put in an improved display, found Sturridge with a brilliant ball and the England striker squared to Suarez. The Uruguayan tapped home from yards out to double the Reds’ lead before revealing a shirt celebrating the birth of his new child.

Rather than crumbling like they usually have done so far this season, the Wearsiders provided a spirited response, Gardner forcing Mignolet to make a superb save and Johnson curling over the bar before the break. After the interval, it took only seven minutes for the home side to halve the deficit. Ki’s attempt from distance was disappointingly dealt with by Mignolet, as he merely parried the ball back into the danger area, where Giaccherini lurked to gladly exploit the error and side-foot home.

At that point, travelling Kopites were worried that their side could throw away three points against the second worst team in the League, who were growing in confidence and posing more of a threat as the match progressed. Thankfully, though, the Reds resumed their role in the ascendancy during the closing stages, although fans’ nerves remained until Suarez scored his second and Liverpool’s third in the dying moments of the match. Before then, Moses’ excellent strike brought out a brilliant save from Westwood and Toure unleashed a powerful shot that the Sunderland stopper palmed away.

With a minute of normal time left, Liverpool went from one end of the pitch to the other in under 17 seconds to put the outcome of the match beyond doubt thanks to a wonderful counter-attack. Starting with Mignolet comfortably collecting a corner kick, the Belgian quickly threw the ball to the onrushing Suarez, who switched play to Sturridge before running into space at the back post where the number seven got on the end of Sturridge’s return pass and converted a straightforward finish from close range.

Suarez is supremely confident in his own ability

Just to prove how confident he was that he’d score another goal, Suarez then lifted his top to reveal a shirt with a different message on it.

At the end of the day, it was pleasing to end a run of three games without a win; however difficult Liverpool made it for themselves by allowing Sunderland back in to the match at the start of the second half. With Suarez and Sturridge in this type of form, there is no reason why the Reds can’t seriously challenge for Champions League qualification this season.

YNWA

Suarez returns in United cup defeat

I always felt that Manchester United needed to win this match more than Liverpool did.

With David Moyes under pressure following a humiliating 4-1 defeat away to local rivals Manchester City on Sunday, another defeat to arch-rivals Liverpool in midweek only weeks after losing to them in the League would have just compounded the pressure placed on the former Everton manager. As a result, the hosts were happier with the victory, secured by an early second half goal from Hernandez, than the visitors were disappointed by defeat.

Not that the significance of the tie to the respective sides was reflected in their starting line-ups. While Liverpool started possibly their strongest eleven, with Luis Suarez returning following suspension, Moyes made eight changes to the team that were thoroughly beaten at the Etihad.

Nonetheless, the likes of De Gea, Rooney, Giggs and Hernandez did start for the home side, who began the brighter. In the opening ten minutes, Hernandez and Rooney saw shots blocked while Shinji Kagawa had a low strike comfortably saved by Mignolet before the Japanese midfielder curled over.

After weathering the early storm of attacks from United, Liverpool came into the match and were dominant for the rest of the first half. Luis Suarez clearly added another dimension to Liverpool’s attack, combining well with strike partner Sturridge, but, after missing 10 games, his lack of sharpness was also evident. This was demonstrated midway through the first period when his first touch from a beautiful searching Enrique cross wasn’t tight enough and a great chance to get in behind United’s defence was squandered as the ball ran through to De Gea.

It's good to have Suarez back

On the half hour mark Sturridge went close, deftly flicking goalwards from Henderson’s right wing centre but Smalling guided the attempt over. A first half during which Liverpool had been in the ascendancy ended with a hint of things to come, as Hernandez twisted and turned around the Reds’ defence and shot from 25 yards but saw his effort blocked by Skrtel, who continued his run of good form last night.

Unfortunately, Jose Enrique didn’t play quite as well as his Slovakian teammate. Yes, he looked threatening on occasion going forward and hopefully he will resume his almost telepathic understanding with Suarez now the number seven is available for selection again, but he can be a liability defensively, and it was his lack of concentration that ultimately proved decisive. Literally seconds after the restart, Hernandez lost his marker Enrique all too easily and got on the end of an in-swinging corner, side-footing past Mignolet to give United the lead.

Hernandez was happy to exploit Enrique's error

Liverpool responded by creating their best opening of the match ten minutes later. Front three Moses, Sturridge and Suarez combined to set up Henderson, who chose placement over power but frustratingly shot just wide of the post from the edge of the box. Kagawa then fired an excellent drive goalwards, which brushed the bar on its way over, before the Reds went close to equalising twice in two minutes twenty minutes from time.

First, Moses’ diving header from Enrique’s cross was punched away by De Gea. Had the loanee headed the ball either side of the keeper it would have found the back of the net, but unfortunately it was in the perfect place for the Spaniard to make the save. Then, Luis Suarez almost produced a bit of magic to level the score line, hitting the cross bar with a well taken free kick thanks to a slight deflection off the wall.

In the end, though, despite late efforts from Suarez, Henderson and even Kolo Toure, Liverpool failed to grab an equaliser and force extra time. For the second time in a row, it was woeful defending from a corner kick that cost Rodgers’ men dear as they conceded a goal that could so easily have been avoided. At the other end, the Reds had a promising 17 shots, although worryingly only three of them were on target. It seems, therefore, that Rodgers needs to concentrate on defending from set-pieces as well as shooting practice during training this week.

Although the result was disappointing and there are some specific areas Liverpool need to work on, overall it was a positive reaction to defeat to Southampton in the League last time out. The outcome may have been the same, but the performances were poles apart in terms of quality and commitment.

Hopefully the Reds can arrest their recent run of disappointing results- they have gone three games without a win- in their final two fixtures before the international break against Sunderland and Crystal Palace, which look eminently winnable.

YNWA

He's back! But how do you solve a problem like Luis Suarez?

Luis Suarez is still a Liverpool player. 

That’s a sentence I certainly wasn’t expecting to be able to type after the close of the transfer window when speculation regarding the Uruguayan’s future started in June. The assumption was that player power would inevitably prevail once again and, at best, the club would sell their star striker to an overseas club for an exorbitant fee that would finance reinvestment in the squad to try and find replacements for the simply irreplaceable number seven.

Now we’re approaching the end of September and not only is Suarez still a Liverpool player, his ten game ban for foolishly and absurdly biting Chelsea defender Ivanovic’s shoulder has been served and he is free to pull on a Red shirt once again. It couldn’t have come at a better time, either, as Liverpool appear to be struggling without the creativity of key playmaker Philippe Coutinho.  However, Suarez’s return raises a number of questions that are troubling both boss Brendan Rodgers and Kopites.

Perhaps the biggest question is what reception will he receive from the fans? Liverpool supporters are tremendously loyal and always back their team to the hilt, but once we are betrayed that love and support is instantly withdrawn. Just think about how our perception of Fernando Torres changed overnight when he jumped ship and joined rivals Chelsea. He suddenly went from our adored star striker to a despised traitor.

That process happened for many supporters when Suarez so publically and shamelessly pined for a move away from Anfield. No longer was he the indispensable super striker who Kopites would support through thick and thin, no matter how bizarre and iniquitous his misdemeanours. He was now the Judas who was willing to come up with any excuse to try and justify his brazen attempts to engineer a move away from the club who arguably made him the world class talent he is.

With Suarez unexpectedly remaining on Merseyside due to the stubbornness of John Henry and Brendan Rodgers, many Reds are unsure as to how to feel about Suarez. There’s a desire to forgive and forget his previous offences and move on, providing him with just as much support as any other Liverpool player.

At the same time, though, that desire is tempered by the knowledge that, if Suarez had had his way, he wouldn’t be playing for Liverpool anymore, and that fact will make Kopites understandably cautious about welcoming Suarez back with open arms. Yes, he’s a great player, but it’s hard to have affection for someone who has spent the summer trying to stab you in the back and you strongly suspect may well betray you in the future if he gets the chance.

On the pitch, an equally puzzling question is posed by Suarez’s return. Where will he play? With Daniel Sturridge banging in goals left, right and centre- the 24-year old has scored six in six so far this season- it would seem harsh to move Sturridge out onto the wing again in order to accommodate Suarez through the middle. The former Chelsea striker is revelling playing in his preferred position and his form justifies keeping him as the main man in the centre of attack.

Sturridge should remain Liverpool's main striker

The question has perhaps been answered, though, by the six week absence of Coutinho due to a shoulder injury. The creative midfielder had arguably been doing as well in behind Sturridge as Sturridge has been doing up front, so Suarez may have had to settle for a place on either the left or the right of an attacking triumvirate.

However, with Coutinho on the treatment table, Suarez can slot into his position in the meantime. In a slightly withdrawn role from Sturridge, Suarez may be given space to pull the strings in attack. If he isn’t, he’ll almost certainly drag a central defender out of position or occupy the time of an opposing side’s defensive midfielder. It’ll be interesting to see what roles they will play in when they are all fit. It will also give Brendan Rodgers a welcome selection headache.

It remains highly questionable whether Suarez will be as committed to the Liverpool cause as he appears to have been in previous seasons. Having set his heart on leaving Liverpool, he will almost inevitably lack the zeal and motivation of players such as Jordan Henderson, whose euphoric celebrations after scoring in a pre-season friendly versus Olympiacos showed the type of love for the club supporters expect from the players.

Nonetheless, Suarez may still perform at the world-class level we have come to expect from him, not out of love for the club, but rather from a love of his country. Suarez wants to be in Brazil with Uruguay for the 2014 World Cup and he knows that in order to get into their squad he has to keep on firing in goals and performing well for Liverpool. That may benefit the Reds, even if his heart isn’t in it. It may also prevent him from pulling off one of his stupid stunts again, although we can never know for sure with Suarez.

Suarez wants to be in Brazil in 2014 for the World Cup

The most difficult task facing Brendan Rodgers regarding Suarez is not integrating him back in the team or managing to get him forgiven by the fans. Good players will find a way to play together and, although his reception will probably be muted and frosty at first, the supporters will surely forgive him when he’s scored a couple of crucial goals, even if they will never love him in the same way again.

No, the most difficult task facing Brendan Rodgers is persuading Suarez that his long term future is at Anfield. At the moment, Suarez has to stay at the club because he signed a contract and the Reds are quite rightly demanding he honour that contract. Convincing Suarez that he should want to remain a Red is an altogether different and more difficult task.

It will require securing Champions League qualification this season and continuing to purchase top-quality players to build and grow the squad into a competitive one ready to rival the likes of Spurs, Arsenal, City, Chelsea and United.

Ultimately, that’s what Rodgers has to do if he is to solve a problem like Suarez.

YNWA

(This article originally appeared on This is Anfield)