Red-hot Suarez scores brace as Reds soar to top
Print Edition
Luis Suarez celebrated his new contract by sending Liverpool to the top of the English Premier League thanks to two goals and another virtuoso display in a 3-1 home win over crisis club Cardiff City yesterday.
The irrepressible Uruguayan, who looked to be heading out of Anfield in the close season amid his ban for biting, expertly volleyed in the opener before setting up Raheem Sterling for the second after a superb ball from the resurgent Jordan Henderson.
It was soon three when Suarez netted his 19th of the season on halftime with a superb curling shot from the edge of the box following more Henderson magic with a back-heel.
Liverpool hammered Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 away last weekend and could have had more against Cardiff with Suarez almost netting a hat-trick when he clipped the post.
Liverpool boss Rodgers praised the 26-year-old Uruguayan, saying: “He’s doing his job to a really high level. He’s doing it consistently; week in, week out. For me he’s got this in-built brain for football.
His view of the game is different to others and he has an anticipation of where the ball is going to drop.”
The easy win over 15th-placed Cardiff and beleaguered manager Malky Mackay put Liverpool a point clear at the top with 36 from 17 games ahead of previous leader Arsenal hosting Chelsea tomorrow.
Manchester City can climb above Arsenal on goal difference by winning at Fulham later, while Manchester United will look to make up ground on the top four when it hosts West Ham United.
Suarez, again captain in the continued absence of the injured Steven Gerrard, penned a reported four-and-a-half year deal on Friday as Liverpool tries to build on a strong start and finally challenge for the title again after years of woe.
Facing one of the in-form players in world football was not what Cardiff manager Mackay wanted at the end of a week where reports said he had been asked to resign or be sacked by Malaysian owner Vincent Tan despite gaining promotion.
Cardiff fans should have been enjoying a trip to famous Anfield in their debut Premier League season but instead held up a “Tan Out” banner and booed the controversial shades-wearing tycoon.
The pair had only previously met in the league once in 1959, when Liverpool great Bill Shankly took charge for the first time as Cardiff won 4-0 away. That was never going to happen yesterday but Jordan Mutch grabbed one back in an improved second half.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
