Even assassins tend to have a genial streak

They nickname him ‘el pistolero’ — the gunman — in South America. But as Luis Suarez approaches his third year at Liverpool, perhaps ‘el torbellino’ — the whirlwind — is more appropriate.

The Uruguayan striker is a character of Jekyll and Hyde proportions, with antics that range from the sublime to borderline psychotic.

Few players have turned from magician to madman and back so effortlessly. To hear him mentioned in the same breath as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo by several of his Anfield peers this week is merely the latest installment of the 26-year-old’s remarkable career.