Suarez named as sub as Liverpool face Stoke

New signing Luis Suarez was named as a substitute to face Stoke at Anfield as Liverpool began life after Fernando Torres.

The 24-year-old Uruguay international, a £22.8m transfer from Ajax, signed a five-and-a-half-year contract on Monday – the same day Torres completed his £50million move to Chelsea.

He has not played since December 8 – as a result of a seven-match ban for biting an opponent – and with only one day’s training behind him he took his place on the bench alongside Jamie Carragher, back in the squad two months after having shoulder surgery.

There were three changes from the side which beat Fulham a week ago, with Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Lucas Leiva and Fabio Aurelio coming in for Torres, Christian Poulsen and Maxi Rodriguez.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis made five changes to the much-altered side which beat Wolves in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Asmir Begovic, Danny Higginbotham, Marc Wilson, Jermaine Pennant and Dean Whitehead all came back at the expense of Thomas Sorensen, Danny Pugh, Rory Delap, Matt Etherington and Kenwyne Jones.

Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Kyrgiakos, Johnson, Gerrard, Lucas, Aurelio, Meireles, Kuyt. Subs: Gulacsi, Suarez, Maxi, Carragher, Ngog, Poulsen, Shelvey.

Stoke: Begovic, Wilkinson, Faye, Huth, Higginbotham, Pennant, Wilson, Diao, Whitehead, Carew, Walters. Subs: Sorensen, Collins, Whelan, Jones, Fuller, Delap, Etherington.

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)