Saturday, March 22, 2014

Cardiff 3-6 Liverpool: Suarez, Skrtel and Sturridge make it six wins

Level-pegging: Suarez hits Liverpool's first, negating Jordan Mutch's opener
If Liverpool achieve the extraordinary and win the title this year it will almost certainly hinge on the blistering form of Luis Suarez. 
The Uruguayan scored his third hat-trick of the season to equal Robbie Fowler’s club record of 28 goals in one campaign. 
That is with eight games yet to play and despite missing the first five games of the season through suspension.
His closest rival is nine goals adrift. Strike partner Daniel Sturridge has scored 19. 
Together, they have outscored all but three other teams in the league.  They are simply unstoppable and it is irresistible to watch. 
You could even forgive the blatant selfishness in the 90th minute when Suarez was one-on-one with Cardiff keeper DHe saw his young, pleading teammate Raheem Sterling would have an easy finish but instead took on Marshall himself. You cannot turn ruthlessness like that on and off. 
That goal capped a third successive away victory which keeps Liverpool in second place, four points behind leaders Chelsea with Manchester City close behind. 
The Liverpool fans marched away from Cardiff City Stadium singing ‘we’re going to win the league.’
Brendan Rodgers encouraged their optimism but remained coy.
‘We’ve now got five games at home and three away. Anfield is a special place. Fans can believe and dream and that’s important. They have every right to’
There were, Rodgers conceded, weaknesses in the Liverpool defence particularly in the first half when they twice went behind. 
‘We gave the ball away cheaply once or twice,’ he said, ‘and we’re not the sort of side that just rely on outscoring. We’re balanced. At half time, I reinforced that and we showed great resilience and offensive power.’
The standout moment in the match came in the 59th minute when Sturridge played a back-heel pass, demonstrating an almost telepathic awareness of Suarez’s whereabouts.





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