Liverpool passed Cardif City and comming at Premier League peak, Manchester United will not surrender, Tottenham win without AVB against posh Saints.

Liverpool 3 Cardiff City 1:Many years later Liverpool can go to the championship ?

The Liverpool manager is seldom short for words yet, when asked which of Suarez’s 19 goals this season was a personal favourite, Rodgers paused, furrowed his brow in a quizzical sort of way and, after a 17-second delay, delivered his answer.

For the record it was the Uruguayan’s 40-yard volley against Norwich which ranked No1, though it was the time taken for Rodgers to trawl the memory banks of the striker’s vast repertoire of stunning strikes, be it rasping volleys, deft chips, precision free-kicks or bullet headers, which was most revealing.

The likelihood is that his brace against Cardiff – a volley from the edge of the penalty area and a curling effort struck from just outside – did not feature for long in his manager’s thoughts.

Yet that simply speaks volumes for the brilliance Suarez conjures whenever he sets foot on the pitch.

These are special times for Liverpool: contenders once more and the club spellbound by a player, who is worth every single penny – and more – of that new four-year deal which could net him £250,000 a week with bonuses.

It feels increasingly difficult to put his contribution into context, but if you consider the most league goals Michael Owen plundered in a single season for Liverpool was 19, and that Suarez has managed that amount in just 12 games, then a picture forms of just how mesmeric his performances have become.

So, too, when his scoring ratio of 1.58 goals per game is better than Dixie Dean’s 1.53 when he managed 60 in 39 matches in 1927-28 for Everton.

These are the sorts of numbers usually associated with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Given Messi’s injury problems and the fact that Ronaldo is someone who needs space to perform, running riot on the counter-attack, there is a strong case Liverpool now possess the best player on the planet.

“You can put Luis in that bracket of world-class,” said Rodgers, who would also have been impressed once more with the performance of Jordan Henderson who was involved in all three goals.

“I think one or two of Luis’ off-field antics have maybe a wee bit detracted from his performance but you see a different man now.

“He is mature. You see he is happy, confident and at peace with everything in his life on and off the field. He loves Merseyside and he loves being at Liverpool. When you are scoring goals at the rate he is in the most competitive league in the world, you have to put him up there.”

Alan Shearer and Andy Cole hold the Premier League record with 34 goals in a season, but, at this rate, Suarez will have set a new benchmark before the clocks go forward. He is the first player in Liverpool’s history to score two or more league goals in five successive home games.

“He looks like he can score a hattrick in every game, doesn’t he? He will certainly push it close,” said Rodgers. Indeed, so confident is Suarez in his ability that he spurned the chance of another treble by unselfishly teeing up Raheem Sterling.

That the visitors rallied after the break as Liverpool eased their foot off the pedal, reducing the arrears through Jordon Mutch, rescued some pride for manager Malky Mackay, whose treatment by owner Vincent Tan has been nothing short of disgraceful.

Suarez is a nightmare for opponents, but he has dared Liverpool to dream. “He gives that feelgood factor,” said Rodgers.

“I think you felt on Friday afternoon on Merseyside – or certainly one half of it – there was a real uplifting piece of news. Supporters now are hopefully coming here really looking forward to their football, seeing their team perform.

“They know they are going to see a real, world-class operator and also a lot of young players who are developing to a really high level. So the club as a whole is in a really good moment. We are on the right path and we have to make sure we keep on it.”

It was to be Suarez’s day again. Maybe now it will be his season.

Liverpool vs Cardiff City Match Stats

Liverpool: Mignolet 7, Johnson 7, Flanagan 8 (Kelly 55), Lucas 7, Skrtel 6, Sakho 6, Allen 7, Henderson 8, Suarez 9, Sterling 8, Coutinho 7 (Agger 83)

Subs not used: Jones, Kolo Toure, Luis Alberto, Iago Aspas, Moses

Goals: Suarez 25 45, Sterling 42

Booked: Skrtel, Sterling

Cardiff City: Marshall 7, Theophile-Catherine 5, Taylor 5, Medel 4 (Campbell 55), Caulker 5, Turner 5, Noone 7, Mutch 7, Odemwingie 4 (Kim 55), Gunnarsson 6 (Cornelius 80), Whittingham 7

Subs not used: Hudson, Cowie, Lewis, John

Man of the Match: Luis Suarez

Attendance: 44,621

Referee: Lee Probert 7

Liverpool 3 Cardiff City Match Video

[media id=1014 width=610 height=340]

Manchester United 3 West Ham 1 :If team United is still a chance

Adnan Januzaj would no doubt be heading to the World Cup finals in Brazil next summer if he decides to play for Belgium, the country of his birth.

But Albania, Serbia, Turkey and even England – if he sees out his five-year contract with Manchester United – also figure among the possibilities and Moyes is putting him under no pressure to make a quick decision, unless he could find a way to qualify for Scotland.

Moyes is quite happy to nurture Januzaj’s development at Old Trafford without all the extra physical and mental pressure of international football – not to mention the travel and other distractions.

“Personally, I am quite happy [he has not made a decision] because it means we have him longer and he is not away,” said Moyes.

“We can influence him while he is here. He is an exceptional talent but still 18 and we have to mindful of that. He is still learning and we have to be careful with him. We have to bring him on at the right time. ”

Januzaj underlined his precocious talent with a memorable first home goal as he inspired United to their best home performance of the season, although West Ham provided surprisingly weak opposition for a Sam Allardyce team.

His ‘dive’ over James Collins’ challenge should not overshadow his display. It is not the first time he has done it – it also happened on his full debut at Sunderland – but Moyes insists he will have a word with the youngster while pointing out that we should not lose sight of the ‘dark arts’ defenders are resorting to stop him.

“If you look in every game, he’s probably getting tackled and kicked more than anybody,” said David Moyes.

“I think today he thought Collins was going to clatter him, so he tried to ride it and it’s looked worse than it actually was.

“There were a few things when his youthfulness went ahead of him a bit but we’ll have a word with him and make sure it [diving] doesn’t creep into his play and he does things right.”

Januzaj was not the victim of the worst tackle, however. Javier Hernandez was lucky to escape serious injury from George McCartney’s recklessly late challenge.

While Januzaj is still in the maturing process, Wayne Rooney, 10 years his senior, is looking a certainty to be United’s captain next season.

Moyes said: “Do you know what I see more than anything in Wayne? I see leadership, somebody who wants to take responsibility for the team . He’s on the verge of being one of the great legends at this club.

“ The players are responding. In the dressing room now Wayne is one of those beginning to call the shots.”

Allardyce could do with a few leaders after Hammers came back to earth with a nasty bump after their Capital One Cup quarter-final win at Tottenham.

Apart from Januzaj’s strike, Danny Welbeck and Ashley Young got on the score sheet, and United could easily have doubled their tally before Carlton Cole’s a late consolation.

Allardyce said: “We made the victory too easy for them. I didn’t think we made them work hard enough. We made silly mistakes and when Manchester United get a sniff like that they are not going to turn it down.”

Manchester United vs West Ham Match Stats

MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea 7, Rafael 8, Evra 6 (Buttner 80), Cleverley 7, Smalling 6, Evans 7, Antonio Valencia 7, Jones 7, Welbeck 8 (Hernandez 54), Rooney 7, Januzaj 8 (Young 69)

Subs not used: Giggs, Fletcher, Kagawa, Johnstone

Goals: Welbeck 26, Januzaj 36, Young 72

Booked: Januzaj

WEST HAM: Adrian 5, Demel 6, McCartney 5, Taylor 5 (Collison 62), Collins 5 (Rat 75), Tomkins 6, Diame 5, Noble 5, Maiga 6, Morrison 6, Jarvis 5 (Carlton Cole 71)

Subs not used: O’Brien, Diarra, Jaaskelainen, Joe Cole

Goal: Cole 81

Booked: Morrison, McCartney, Tomkins, Jarvis

Man of the Match: Rafael da Silva

Referee: Michael Jones 8

Manchester United 3 West Ham 1 Match Video

[media id=1015 width=610 height=340]

Southampton 2 Tottenham 3:AVB out Adebayor is back

Yesterday, Emmanuel Adebayor gave fans a long-overdue reminder that when it comes to dancing there is strictly only one winner – him.

His “faabulousss” celebration to mark his second goal of the day encapsulated the exuberance caretaker boss Tim Sherwood wanted from his players. More importantly, the fact it proved to be a winner supported his belief that, in the end, it is results alone that count.

Because for a five-minute spell just after Adebayor’s strike, Roberto Soldado embarked on a show-reel of why, ultimately, Andre Villas-Boas lost his job a week ago.

First, put through on goal, clear of the defence 25 yards out, he took the ball into the box, set himself then scuffed his shot woefully wide.

More of a poacher’s effort came his way five minutes later, but somehow he contrived to scramble the ball off the ground and over the bar from four yards out .

Then, invited to try to beat Southampton goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga at his near post, Soldado could only hit the side netting from four yards.

No wonder that under Villas-Boas Tottenham had only managed to score 12 times all season in the Premier League. His £26?million talisman is in such rotten form and the Portuguese boss always refused to consider a plan B.

Jermain Defoe was used only sporadically and Tottenham’s most natural finisher was persona non grata.

At times, Adebayor had been made to train with the kids – ironically under Sherwood in the academy – and was never seriously considered for the role of leading the line all the time Villas-Boas was at the helm.

But yesterday from the first minute, when he nearly converted a low Soldado cross at the far post, the Togo striker showed he has not lost his hunger. Tottenham started with a determinedly gung-ho 4-4-2 formation and thanks to the guile of Adam Lallana, it cost them almost instantly.

His clever half-turn left Vlad Chiriches in no man’s land and his 25-yard drive into the corner was beyond the reach of Hugo Lloris.

At this stage, having been dumped out of the Capital One Cup in his first game in charge, Sherwood’s hopes of being given the job full-time looked slim. However, Tottenham and Sherwood were soon back on track.

There seemed no hope of anybody getting on the end of Soldado’s curling cross after 25 minutes but Adebayor’s leg seemed to extend out supernaturally to volley into the net.

Mousa Dembele was withdrawn just after half-time with Sherwood overlooking the more experienced Lewis Holtby and Etienne Capoue to give a debut to 19-year-old academy graduate Nabil Bentaleb.

“I wanted somebody I knew I could trust,” said Sherwood.

And so the revolution continued, gaining momentum, it seemed, when Danny Rose burst to the line to fire a low cross into the area only for Jos Hooiveld to deflect the ball into his own net.

But again it was Lallana who was responsible for sparing the Saints’ blushes.

The vision he showed to turn the embarrassment on to Lloris when he rushed from his goal on the hour was impeccable, picking out Rickie Lambert to stroke the ball into the empty net with the French keeper stranded.

Nevertheless, there seemed to be some kind of momentum behind Spurs now and after Adebayor had burst through only to fail to lift the ball over Gazzaniga, there was no stopping his next effort.

A throw-in caused havoc in a Southampton defence badly lacking the rested Luke Shaw, and Adebayor’s toe-poke was firm – in sharp contrast to the ensuing soft-shoe shuffle.

For all Soldado’s subsequent misses, at least it was a sign that Tottenham were more than holding the Saints at bay, apart from a late Lambert shot into the ground which rose up and over the bar.

Strangely, on the final whistle, one or two Spurs players sank to the ground, almost in relief.

Relief perhaps that there is unlikely to be any further turmoil. At least not this week, anyway

Southampton vs Tottenham Match Stats

Southampton: Gazzaniga 6, Chambers 7, Hooiveld 5, Lovren 6, Fox 5 (Gallagher  78 min); Schneiderlin 6, Davis 6 (Ramirez 69, 5), Cork 6 (Ward-Prowse 63, 6); Lallana 8, Lambert 6, Rodriguez 5.

Subs: Yoshida, Fonte, Reed, Cropper.

Yellow: Ward Prowse

Goal: Lallana 13, Lambert 59

Spurs: Lloris 6; Walker 7, Dawson 7, Chiriches 6, Rose 6; Lamela 5 (Chadli 60, 7), Eriksen 6, Dembele 5 (Bentaleb 50, 7), Sigurdsson 6; Adebayor 8, Soldado 6 (Defoe 85).

Subs: Holtby, Capoue, Friedel, Fredericks.

Yellow: Sigurdsson

Goal: Adebayor 25, 64, Hooiveld (OG) 54

Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside)

Attendance: 31,455

Southampton 2 Tottenham 3 Match Video

[media id=1016 width=610 height=340]

English Premier League Match Week 17 Results

Saturday, 21 December

Liverpool 3 Cardiff City 1

Fulham 2 Man City 4

Sunderland 0 Norwich City 0

Stoke City 2 Aston Villa 1

Crystal Palace 0 Newcastle 3

West Brom 1 Hull City 1

Man United 3 West Ham 1

Sunday, 22 December

Southampton 2 Tottenham 3

Swansea City 1 Everton 2

Monday, 23 December

Arsenal 20:00 Chelsea

Barclays Premier League Match Week 17  Table

 

[adrotate banner=”67″]