Brendan Rodgers: 'Harry Redknapp likens Luis Suarez to Lionel Messi'

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez celebrates scoring his first goal against Sunderland on January 2, 2013
© AP Photos
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed that Harry Redknapp believes Luis Suarez is as influential as Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.

The Uruguayan striker scored twice in the Reds' 3-0 win against Sunderland on Wednesday and was also twice on target on Sunday when the Merseyside club got the better of Redknapp's QPR by the same margin.

"I was talking with Harry after our game, and he said Luis was a Messi-type character," the Daily Mail quotes Rodgers as saying.

"When I gave him a break at the start of the season, he didn't want it. He didn't want the breather.

"He is a player that has to play two or three times a week to be on top of his game - one game a week is no good to him. He needs to be playing."

Rodgers further praised Suarez for his consistency and work ethic.

"And you see the response you get from him," he said. "His work has never dropped. He is a real team player and trains every day.

"He is never in the treatment room and then he comes out and performs. As the ball moves, he finds the spaces.

"His cleverness finds the space, and he is thriving. It will be fantastic to see him keep developing."

Liverpool are now eighth in the Premier League table with 31 points from 21 matches.
Bundesliga Relegation
7.30pm
Hoffenheim
vs
Kaiserslautern
Tables
TeamPGDPTS
1Manchester United384389
2Manchester City383278
3Chelsea383675
4Arsenal383573
5Tottenham Hotspur382072
6Everton381563
7Liverpool382861
8West Bromwich Albion38-449
9Swansea City38-446
10West Ham United38-846
11Norwich City38-1744
12Fulham38-1043
13Stoke City38-1142
14Southampton38-1141
15Aston Villa38-2241
16Newcastle United38-2341
17Sunderland38-1339
RWigan Athletic38-2636
RReading38-3028
RQueens Park Rangers38-3025