MANCHESTER — Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has not decided whether Luis Suarez will start at Manchester United, but says the striker is “really champing at the bit to help the team” after his ban. Supersport
Suarez (26) has completed his 10-match suspension for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in April.
He could now return for today’s League Cup third-round tie.
“He’ll travel and we’ll reflect over the next 24 hours whether he starts,” Rodgers said.
Liverpool’s unbeaten start to the season was ended on Saturday by Southampton, although Rodgers felt the blow of losing 1-0 at home was eased by the imminent return of the Uruguay international.
Suarez has been playing in games organised for him by the club and represented Uruguay earlier this month in World Cup qualifiers.
The striker, who was heavily linked with a move away from the club over the summer and wanted to join Arsenal, scored twice against Peru in September and Rodgers said he had no doubt the forward was ready to return.
“It has been a really difficult time for him not playing games,” added the Liverpool manager.
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“How he has prepared himself over the last number of weeks has been fantastic. Everyone knows the depth of his quality and his attitude. “Once he gets back on the field again he will show what he has shown since he’s been here.”
Suarez joined Liverpool from Ajax in January 2011 for £22,7m and has scored 51 goals in 96 appearances.
The forward already has experience of returning from a lengthy ban for the Reds, having served an eight-match suspension in December that year for racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.
Meanwhile, Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner is set to play his first competitive game for Arsenal in over two years today as Arsene Wenger rotates his squad for the Capital One Cup.
The Dane last played for the Gunners in their 2-0 Premier League defeat by Liverpool in August 2011, but is likely to make his 100th league appearance for the side he joined eight years ago in the third-round match at West Bromwich Albion.
“We have a Capital One Cup game at West Bromwich Albion today and I will rotate the team, of course. Nicklas Bendtner has a chance to be involved,” Wenger said in an email to Arsenal fans on Monday.
Bendtner, who has spent loan spells at Sunderland and Italian champions Juventus since last appearing for Arsenal, has not scored for the Gunners since bagging a hat-trick in the FA Cup against Leyton Orient 30 months ago.
Wenger also confirmed that midfielder Jack Wilshere will be rested for the match at the Hawthorns to help him recover for Saturday’s league game at Swansea City.
“Jack Wilshere will not play. Normally I would have rested him on Sunday and I decided to take him off because he was a bit exhausted towards the end,” said Wenger.
“Rotating the squad is important because we play again on Saturday and after that we have a massive home game in the Champions League (against Napoli).
“We will need everyone to play their part.” The Arsenal manager also lauded Mesut Ozil’s impact since arriving from Real Madrid. The Germany international played a part in creating all three goals against Stoke at the weekend, something Wenger does not see as a fluke.
“When you look at his numbers, the assists are not a coincidence, it’s just the reality of his game. I believe that once he is completely integrated we’ll see even more from him,” he said.
