Gus Poyet: 'Liverpool are a mid-table side without Luis Suarez'

Sunderland manager Gus Poyet believes that his prediction that Liverpool would become a mid-table team without Luis Suarez has been proven correct.

Poyet oversaw his side's 0-0 draw at Anfield today, which leaves the Reds in ninth place in the Premier League

After saying in March that they would struggle without the goals of now-Barcelona striker Suarez, Poyet is glad to have seen his claims justified.

He told reporters: "People were very upset with me last year when I said that. A few hate me. But I was not going against Liverpool and Steven Gerrard, who is one of the icons of English football, I just know how good Luis is.

"He's so good he makes a difference. It's the same with Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo or Sergio Aguero."

Suarez scored 31 league goals for the Reds last season, as they finished second in the Premier League.