"Bite-gate" overshadows Benitez's return

Luis Suarez grabbed all the headlines for all the wrong reasons yesterday despite netting a last gasp equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw for Liverpool at home to Chelsea. The always controversial Uruguyuan bizarrely bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in an embarrassing and disgraceful off the ball incident that will surely cast a shadow over not just this game but the rest of his career, just as another enigmatic player, Eric Cantona, is always remembered for his infamous kung-fu kick.

It was the low point of an eventful game for the number seven who, after setting up Sturridge to net an equaliser, conceded the penalty from which Liverpool fell behind and then, after his irrational attack of Ivanovic, bagged an equaliser in the sixth minute of injury time. His antics diverted attention away from Chelsea's interim manager Rafael Benitez, who returned to Anfield for the first time since departing in 2010, receiving a warmer reception from the Kop than he has ever received from Chelsea supporters.

After a minute's applause for Anne Williams, a mother of a victim of the Hillsborough disaster who died this week after tirelessly campaigning for justice, and the events in Boston, FSG's hometown, Liverpool arguably started the contest the better, Glen Johnson poking wide when one-on-one with Cech to end a promising attack after five minutes.

Chelsea quickly came back into the match, though, Oscar and Ramires testing Reina before the former connected with a header from a corner that Reina got his fingertips to but couldn't prevent from nestling into the top corner.

Oscar heads Chelsea in front

Reina then nearly conceded a soft second, fumbling Luiz's blasted free kick and only just recovering to stop the ball trickling over the line.

Suarez had a few chances to level before the break, but Liverpool's resurgence only came following the arrival of Daniel Sturridge who, but for Suarez's madness and genius, would have been the player focused on by the media after the match. Immediately after replacing Coutinho at the interval, he raced down the right and played in Gerrard, whose swerving effort was kicked away by Cech. 

The former Chelsea player clearly had a point to prove to both the Blues and Brendan Rodgers, who has strangely left him out of the starting eleven frequently recently. His instant impact almost translated into an equaliser two minutes after the restart as his sensational drive from 25 yards out smacked against the woodwork.

It wasn't long, though, before Sturridge's industry and talent paid dividends, as he tapped home Suarez's exquisite centre to equalise in front of an ecstatic Kop. Unfortunately, Suarez went from hero to villain in the space of two minutes, literally handing Chelsea the chance to regain their advantage. After his handball from a corner kick, Hazard beat Reina from 12 yards with the spot kick.

Seemingly unable to contain the frustration of giving away a penalty, Suarez then ludicrously bit Branislav Ivanovic in the penalty area in an off the ball incident that the referee missed and therefore may mean the number seven is handed a sizeable ban by the FA. 

Suarez loses all sense of rationality

Substitute Shelvey had a couple of chances to level late on, striking into the side-netting when he should have done better and also firing over the bar as time began to run out. At the death, however, Sturridge and Suarez combined to devastating effect. The former delivered an inviting cross into the box, where Suarez was to nod beyond Cech to remarkably rescue a point from the jaws of certain defeat.

Irritatingly, though, it wasn't his excellent skills with his feet that people were talking about after the game but his inexplicable mind and uncontrollable teeth. With history of biting opponents, you'd think Luis Suarez would learn from his mistakes and alter his behaviour but he seems incapable of going a significant time period without acting stupidly and smearing the club's reputation.

Thankfully, the club have handled the situation well, immediately issuing an apology and forcing Suarez to apologise, as well as fining him, with the proceeds going to the Hillsborough Family Support Group. It remains grating, however, that the club is embroiled in scandal when we should be celebrating yet another late comeback at an atmospheric Anfield. 

For all his stupidity, it would be unwise to sell Suarez as he remains an indispensable player. "Bite-gate" won't stop clubs wanting to sign him so it shouldn't force us to sell him. He'll now probably face a suspension that will rule him out for the rest of the season. Let's just hope we see him in a Red shirt at the start of the 2013/2014 season and that a bizarre bite of an opponent doesn't prove to be his last act for Liverpool, like it proved to be when he was at Ajax.

YNWA