• Premier League

Suarez encouraged to moan

Luis Suarez is keeping the Liverpool players on their toes © Getty Images

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Brendan Rodgers has told Luis Suarez to continue giving his Liverpool teammates a hard time on the pitch - in order to raise standards.

Suarez has scored three goals in two Premier League games since returning from a 10-match domestic ban imposed after he bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in April.

He got the first goal as Liverpool beat Crystal Palace 3-1 at Anfield last Saturday to maintain their best Premier League start in five years.

Rodgers' side lie second, behind leaders Arsenal on goals scored - but the manager has admitted to being less than satisfied with the overall levels of performance from his players.

Suarez has shown his own frustration on the pitch at times since his return, berating wing-back Jose Enrique for a misplaced pass late on against Palace.

Rodgers said: "That attitude from Luis to demand the best is exactly what we want. We can't accept just winning and say it's all right.

"I think it's much easier to keep on performing well and, if you do lose then you can still go into the next game with confidence."

As an example, Rodgers cited the way his side bounced back from a 1-0 Capital One Cup defeat at Manchester United on September 25 to win 3-1 at Sunderland in the Premier League four days later - with Suarez scoring twice.

Rodgers said: "We did at Manchester United, we may have lost there, but we played really well, and that gave us the belief to go into the next game at Sunderland with the right attitude.

"But if your standards slip and you start losing one or two games, it's a lot harder to get back up to the level again.

"With the likes of Luis, that demand is what we want - the demand that we maintain our standards at all times. It is an important part of what we are trying to do."

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