Premier League: Suarez deserved comeback goals, insists Rodgers
SUNDERLAND 1 vs LIVERPOOL 3
LIVERPOOL boss Brendan Rodgers feels striker Luis Suarez’s two goals on his return to Premier League action were just reward for months of hard graft.
Suarez, making his first league appearance in more than five months following a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, looked immediately accustomed to the pace of the game at struggling Sunderland, turning in crosses in each half from strike partner Daniel Sturridge, who opened the scoring.
Liverpool’s win lifted them up to second in the Premier League table, and Rodgers is delighted to have his talismanic striker back.
“Luis has worked very hard and long may it continue,” he said. “He’s reaping the rewards for hard work over a difficult period. Him and Daniel Sturridge up front are a real handful.
“They pass and move off each other and the 3-4-1-2 system we have been using works well for us – those two at the top of it are exceptional.”
Liverpool moved ahead when Sturridge turned in Steven Gerrard’s corner from six yards with the top of his arm, an infringement that went unnoticed by the officials.
Suarez doubled his side’s lead before the break, tapping in Sturridge’s right-wing cross from close range.
Sunderland pulled a goal back when Emanuele Giaccherini turned in the rebound after Ki Sung-Yeung’s initial effort was parried away by former Black Cats goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
But Suarez notched Liverpool’s first second-half goal of the campaign when he swept in Sturridge’s low pull back from six yards.