• Premier League

Rodgers hails versatile Suarez

Luis Suarez was a livewire once again © PA Photos

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Gerrard: Suarez would be best player to not win award
  
• News: Liverpool expect Reina return at Southampton
  
• News: Gerrard edges Liverpool back into European race
  

Brendan Rodgers praised the versatility of Luis Suarez after Liverpool's 3-2 triumph over Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday.

Suarez opened the scoring for the home side, and won the penalty which allowed Steven Gerrard to slot home the winner from the spot in the 82nd minute.

The Uruguay international took his season tally to 29 goals in all competitions, moving Rodgers' men to within two points of fifth-placed Arsenal.

"Football is worldwide now so everyone has seen how good he is," Rodgers said of Suarez. "But he is very happy among his mates here and you have seen today it doesn't matter where he plays - he was in the number 10 role and then he went in from the side he still created havoc.

"He knows the trust I put in him and that gives him the platform to go and perform."

The win was Liverpool's third consecutive and their first over a top-four opponent, leading Rodgers to hail the character of his charges.

"It was very important win for us," he said. "We are on a great run at the moment and we knew this was going to be a severe test of our qualities and character against a team in great form.

"For us to get three points and show the character was fantastic and I am delighted for the players because they worked ever so hard.

"You can see the mentality in the group. I thought we had to show different characteristics today than what we have had to do in recent weeks.

"We've been comfortable in a lot of the games and been able to control them but against a top side we came through.

"I had to make some changes in the game to get the control back in our favour and when we did that I thought we were good value for the win."

Defeat ended Spurs' 12-match unbeaten league run - their last defeat also coming on Merseyside against Everton in December - and manager Andre Villas-Boas said it was harsh on them.

"It is difficult for us to take because we did ever so well to come back into the game in the first half and we started brightly in the second half," he said.

"We lost control of the game when things looked to be going our way, which was more down to a couple of mistakes we did rather than to Liverpool's merit - although they worked very hard."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.