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Rodgers 'not worried' by Suarez barren run

Daniel Sturridge has outscored Luis Suarez since returning from injury © Getty Images

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Brendan Rodgers insists Luis Suarez's recent barren spell is "not a worry" because it shows his Liverpool side are no longer reliant on just one goalscorer.

Suarez scored a remarkable 23 goals in 17 Premier League games during a deadly spell earlier this season, but he has failed to find the back of the net in five matches.

His barren run has not been of concern largely due to the excellent form of Daniel Sturridge. Since returning from injury, Sturridge has scored 10 goals in nine games while Suarez has just three in the same period.

However Rodgers believes Suarez's run without a goal just shows he is sacrificing himself for his teammates, who in kind are taking away the goalscoring burden from their striker.

"There was a spotlight on him this year and last year and that was because of his goals, but I think it shows we are about the collective," Rodgers said.

"Out of the last 33 goals we have scored, he has got four. That really shows we are a team, but that doesn't diminish his influence on our team.

"Nearly 50 per cent of the goals we score either come from him or are assisted by him. It shows you the influence he has. It is also a great pointer to what he is.

"People maybe looked at him and thought that he plays for himself, but he has been a remarkable team player for us. His influence has not diminished.

"If you are at the front of the field, you have a responsibility to score. But if you don't have the ball, you have to work. Luis has an incredible appetite and an aerobic capacity to work. He is robust, he can run and he can press. Whether he is scoring or not, that doesn't change.

"That's his job - to create and score goals and press the ball. We're looking to improve his game tactically, because he is already an incredible goalscorer, but in the modern game you won't only be judged on that. He's working very hard at understanding how to participate in the game in other ways tactically. His numbers have been exceptional since he's been here, but there's obviously more than that."

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