Rodgers backs Suarez to shine at Bridge
Suarez, signed as Torres left for Chelsea in January 2011, has been the Reds’ driving force this season, scoring seven of their 13 goals in a largely frustrating start in the Barclays Premier League.
Suarez does have his detractors but, after scoring a superb equaliser in last Sunday’s draw against Newcastle, has received plenty of plaudits this week with Rodgers himself describing the 25-year-old as “unplayable”.
Rodgers said: “It is nice the football aspect of his game is being focused on, but the most important thing for Luis is he comes in every day, his concentration is good.
“His goal last week typifies the talent he is. He has been a real reference for our team and hopefully that will continue.”
Liverpool face a tough test this weekend as they travel to Stamford Bridge to face a Chelsea side who, after a flying start to the campaign, led the table until last weekend.
Torres, who has endured much frustration since leaving Liverpool in a £50m (€62m) deal, is likely to be the spearhead of the attack ahead of in-form trio Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Oscar.
Rodgers said: “Certainly from the outside, Fernando Torres did a terrific job at Liverpool.
“Certainly in his first 18 months he was fantastic.
“He decided to move on. Liverpool got another world-class striker who as has been absolutely breathtaking, particularly this season.
“Obviously Fernando Torres went to Chelsea and good luck to him. I can’t really comment on Fernando Torres.
“I can only comment on the short period I have been in here and working with Luis Suarez.
“I am blessed to work at a great club with great players and Luis is one of them.
“Liverpool have done terrific out of the deal and got a real top player here.”
Rodgers was bemused by a suggestion that he might want to re-sign Torres for Liverpool in the future.
“I have never heard that before,” said Rodgers, before declining to answer a follow-up question.
But after a frustrating transfer deadline day in August, and with the Reds light on firepower having allowed Andy Carroll to join West Ham on loan, Rodgers confirmed he does intend to strengthen in January.
He said: “I am confident we will be able to reinforce the squad.
“We know we need to get the group some help and I am sure we will do that.”
Rodgers is likely to revert to a more familiar line-up at Chelsea after resting a number of senior stars for Thursday’s Europa League clash against Anzhi Makhachkala in Moscow.
The likes of Suarez, Steven Gerrard, Joe Allen, Nuri Sahin, Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger were not required to travel for a game the Reds lost 1-0.
Teenager Raheem Sterling, who has thrived after being given a chance by Rodgers this season, was another left at home this week. The 17-year-old’s form has earned him a place in Roy Hodgson’s England squad for next week’s friendly in Sweden.
Rodgers said: “It is a great effort by him. He has been fantastic since he has broken in. I am delighted for him”
Meanwhile, Roberto Di Matteo insisted John Terry was still Chelsea’s “captain and leader” but warned that did not make the defender immune from his squad rotation policy.
Di Matteo sprang a huge surprise on Wednesday night by leaving Terry on the bench for the Blues’ Champions League victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, arguably the first truly big game their skipper had missed when fit and available for almost a decade.
The official explanation was a lack of match fitness after the 31-year-old was limited to only one competitive outing in a month due to his domestic four-match racism ban.
Yet Terry had been thrown back into the deep end after returning from injury and suspension on plenty of occasions in the past, leading some to suggest his omission against Shakhtar might have marked the beginning of the end of his time at the club.
But Di Matteo said: “He’s certainly a fantastic player for us and he will continue to be so and continue to be our captain and our leader when he plays.”
However, it is precisely how often that is which is now far from a certainty.
“I don’t think anybody’s guaranteed a starting place,” Di Matteo said.
“They all have to work and be fighting for their place in the team.
“We’ve got a lot of competition in the team and they’re all internationals. We’ve got an England international playing or a Brazil international, or a Serbia international.
“So, all of them are international players that have a lot of quality.”
Chelsea have shipped a whopping 12 goals in the five matches Terry has not played in the last month.
David Luiz, in particular, has been all over the place at times, with Gary Cahill also struggling to marshall the back four.
Di Matteo said somewhat unconvincingly: “They’ve had some good games as well. Against Newcastle, they had a clean sheet.
“It’s not just the defenders — I want to emphasise that. It’s a team responsibility to defend.”
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