6 Reasons Why Luis Suarez Will Be Welcomed Back by Liverpool

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez will finally return to action for the Reds in their Premier League encounter at Sunderland on Sept 29, and the Uruguay international will be welcomed back with open arms by the club for a number of reasons.

The 26-year-old is currently in the midst of serving a 10-game ban after being found guilty by The Football Association of biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic on the arm at Anfield last April.

However, with now just four matches left of that suspension to serve, anticipation is already rising on Merseyside at the prospect of seeing the mercurial front man in action once again, despite everything that has gone on off the pitch since the end of last season.

And, with football fans being famously forgiving if it ultimately means their team being successful on the field of the play, there are a number of reasons why Liverpool will welcome Suarez back warmly at the Stadium of Light next month.

More Chance of Being Successful

Let’s face it, football supporters will do anything to see their team win, and if that means warmly welcoming back a player who has spent all summer long publicly declaring his desperation to leave that club, then so be it.

And that is because at the end of the day, Liverpool with Luis Suarez leading their line are an infinitely stronger outfit than without the forward in their ranks. Even if the Reds have managed to cope admirably without the Uruguayan since he was suspended for ten matches back in April, they still need him.

Strengthening a Rival's Hand

Had Suarez got his wish and had the club caved in to his demands during preseason, then Liverpool would have ended up transferring their one truly world-class player. What's more, he would have left for the only Premier League rival they can hope to overtake in the standings this season in the race for UEFA Champions League qualification.

And so having Suarez on board, if only for this campaign, means that the Reds have not been weakened from last season. More importantly, nor have they boosted rival Arsenal’s playing resources either, a point owner John W Henry alluded to when confirming the striker would not be allowed to move to the Emirates earlier this month.

“So for football reasons we can’t (sell Suarez) – and especially to Arsenal. We’ve made that clear. I have said to Ivan Gazidis in a personal conversation that we will not sell to Arsenal,” Henry said in the Daily Telegraph.

He continued: “We’re not in Europe this year and have not been in the Champions League for a while. To sell to a rival for those Champions League positions, or one of them, would be ludicrous. Whatever the bid is, we won’t sell him. We need Luis. Hopefully this will pass.”

Suarez Should Be Applauded for His Honest Plain Speaking

Suarez’s future at Liverpool has only been one of a number of headline-making transfer rumours this summer involving the possible departures of some of the Premier League’s biggest stars, including Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Gareth Bale.

However, the one major difference in these three storylines is the honest nature in which the Liverpool forward has made his true feelings clear on the subject for all to hear. His stance was in complete contrast to the likes of Rooney and Bale, both of who have chosen to hide behind agents and PR advisers, who then slowly drip-feed the fans with just the selected information that they want to be released.

And for that reason, Suarez should be applauded. He should also be welcomed back by the Reds, rather than criticised for simply expressing an honest opinion that he wanted to move to a club that was competing for trophies.

Not Throwing His Toys out of the Pram

Suarez could, ultimately, have taken this matter even further by handing in a transfer request, going on strike, or even getting the lawyers involved by taking his case all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.

But the player has opted not to go down any of those routes and instead has simply reacted to the news that Liverpool would not be allowing him to leave this summer by apologising to his team-mates and manager. Admirably, he's put his head down in training as he prepares for his return to action next month.

As a result, Liverpool fans, as they did in Steven Gerrard’s testimonial at Anfield earlier this month, will give Suarez a warm reception when he lines up against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on September 29.

Whole-Hearted Commitment to the Cause

From the very first day that Suarez arrived on Merseyside from Ajax in January 2011, the 26-year-old has been an absolute breath of fresh air, always giving 100 per cent commitment in every single game, whoever the opposition, whatever the state of the game or Liverpool’s position in the league table.

And remember this is one of Planet Football’s most sough-after attackers who has been playing for nothing for more than mid-table mediocrity since he left the Netherlands two-and-a-half years ago, and yet by watching Suarez in action first hand, you would have assumed he was fighting for both the Premier League and Champions League.

Consequently, Reds supporters have taken the controversial Uruguayan to their heart and will be willing to forgive him when he finally takes to the field on Wearside next month, regardless of what has gone on previously so far this summer.

Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder

The main reason why Suarez will be welcomed back by Liverpool, however, is that this a man who has registered an eye-catching 51 goals and 24 assists in just 96 matches since he made his debut for the club against Stoke City at Anfield on Feb 2 2011.

But those attacking numbers, hugely impressive as they are, only tell half the story about this audacious, mesmerising and at times bewitching playmaker who has lit up Anfield on so many occasions in the past two-and-a-half years with his vast array of skills.

Quite simply, Suarez is an absolute joy to watch and one of the most exciting and skillful players that the Reds have ever had on their books. And for that reason alone the Uruguay international will be received with great affection at the Stadium of Light, and for the rest of this season, by Liverpool.

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