Chronology of Luis Suarez's Career-Defining Goals at Liverpool
"He has goals in his blood."
The above quote from Xavi, made during an interview with Spanish newspaper Sport (h/t Mark Doyle of Goal.com), perfectly sums up Luis Suarez. It is hardly surprising that a man who barely misplaced a pass in his illustrious career cut right to the spot with just six short words.
No matter what colours or wherever the location in the world, Suarez has scored goals. The Uruguayan left his homeland at 19 to build his career in the Netherlands, starting out at Groningen before moving to Ajax.
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In need of a replacement for the (not-so) dearly departed Fernando Torres in 2011, Liverpool signed Suarez for £22.8 million at the end of the January transfer window. It quickly became clear they'd bagged a bargain.
His time at the Reds included some troubling moments—including serving suspensions for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra and also for biting Branislav Ivanovic of Chelsea—but the fans were always able to forgive and forget. He was the Liverpool faithful's loveable rogue, the sinner who made things right by scoring goals.
Suarez was adored during his time at Anfield; he found the net 82 times in 133 appearances for the club, yet only picked up one League Cup winners medal during his three-and-a-half year spell in the Premier League.
On July 16, 2014, Suarez signed for Barcelona, teaming up with Lionel Messi and Neymar to form the Spanish side's now-infamous MSN forward line.
His departure—coming after another biting incident while representing his country at the 2014 World Cup—left behind a huge hole in Liverpool's team. Like a jilted lover, those heartbroken on Merseyside had to console themselves with the many moments of magic the player produced in the famous No. 7 shirt.
To mark the anniversary of his departure, Bleacher Report has picked out seven (the number seemed appropriate) notable goals from his time in England.
They aren't necessarily his best, however. The club's official YouTube channel published their choice for Suarez's top 10 as a gift to celebrate his 30th birthday earlier this year:
Liverpool 2-0 Stoke City, February 2, 2011
While fellow new recruit Andy Carroll watched on from the stands—the England international was injured when he arrived from Newcastle United—Suarez marked his debut with a goal off the bench.
Playing for the first time since December 8, 2010 after serving an eight-match ban for biting an opponent in Dutch football, the Uruguayan was sent on by Kenny Dalglish in the 62nd minute of the home fixture against Stoke City.
That still proved enough time for Suarez to find the net, albeit Stoke defender Andy Wilkinson had the final touch before the ball deflected in off a post.
Having timed his run in behind a high defensive line, Suarez easily manoeuvred his way beyond onrushing goalkeeper Asmir Begovic before rolling the ball towards the unguarded net. Wilkinson's desperate attempt to deny the substitute failed, although he avoided being credited with an own goal.
"Anyone would say it is a dream debut. Just to be on the field for a few minutes and to manage to score in front of the Kop, it's what dreams are made of," he said after the win, per Giles Mole of the Telegraph.
For the fans, it was a first glimpse of what would become a familiar sight—Suarez celebrating.
Norwich City 0-3 Liverpool, April 28, 2012
Suarez liked playing against Norwich City. Actually, he loved playing against them.
He scored 12 times against the Norfolk club, including a pair of hat-tricks and a four-goal haul, as he continuously tormented the poor Canaries.
He completed his first treble for Liverpool in sensational fashion at Carrow Road in April 2012, turning a hopeful punt out of defence into an unlikely assist as he caught out goalkeeper John Ruddy.
Within seconds, Liverpool went from clearing their lines to celebrating the goal that put the game to bed.
Having seized possession after an error by Norwich's Elliott Ward, Suarez carried the ball just over the halfway line before floating a perfect lob that left the back-pedalling Ruddy grasping at thin air.
"I was about to give him a bollocking for a having a ridiculous shot," a smiling captain Steven Gerrard said after the game, per Paul Doyle of the Observer.
Forget taming Suarez; Liverpool's players and supporters realised it was best just to let the maverick run loose, even if at times it seemed he didn't even know what he'd do next.
Everton 2-2 Liverpool, October 28, 2012
This moment wasn't particularly memorable in terms of the quality of the strike.
A flat Enrique cross from the left reached Suarez beyond the back post, and despite the tight angle, he managed to ram a low shot beyond Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard by the way of a deflection off Leighton Baines, who was credited with an own goal.
So why is this considered a career-defining goal? Because of the way the scorer chose to celebrate in a highly charged Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
Suarez proceeded to run down the touchline, sidestep the onrushing Martin Skrtel and then, in front of the Everton dugout, theatrically threw himself to the floor. While initially landing on his side, he quickly rolled over to starfish on the turf as his team-mates piled on top.
The move was a reaction to comments made by Everton manager David Moyes, who had stated how Suarez had "got history" for going down easily before the fixture, adding that his actions could "turn the supporters away from football," according to Andy Hunter of the Guardian.
"I had said that he was going down too easily, and fair play to him for his response. I don’t need to say what a top player he is and he’s not given enough credit for the way he works for the team," Moyes later told Pete Jenson of The Independent.
Suarez definitely scored Liverpool's second on the day, glancing in a header. He was only denied a dramatic late winner by an incorrect offside call, although he was perhaps lucky to be on the pitch at the end after a nasty challenge on Everton's Sylvain Distin.
Liverpool 1-1 Newcastle, November 4, 2012
On the day Steven Gerrard made his 600th appearance for the Reds, Suarez stole the headlines with a sublime equaliser that rescued his team a point at Anfield.
Jose Enrique's long ball over the top picked out Suarez's break in behind, although he still had plenty of work to do. However, without breaking stride, he controlled the ball dead with the aid of his left shoulder, dropping it perfectly into his path.
With Tim Krul coming towards him, the former Ajax player waltzed around the Newcastle goalkeeper and knocked the ball into an unguarded net in front of the Kop.
While hardly keeping with Liverpool's tradition of playing pretty football, the goal was a beautiful example of how you don't always have to make a million and one passes to break open an opposing defence.
Fabricio Coloccini—the defender left treading in treacle by Suarez's run—was later sent off for a crude challenge on the striker. Yet, even when finishing the game with a limp, he remained his side's most dangerous player.
"Luis was unplayable," Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers—a man never shy of waxing lyrical about his team—said in his post-match interview, per Chris Bascombe of the Telegraph. "It was a brilliant goal, an incredible piece of skill, and Coloccini got sent off because he was frustrated playing against him."
Liverpool 3-2 Tottenham Hotspur, March 13, 2013
In just his 91st game, Suarez reached his half-century of goals for Liverpool with the opener in a topsy-turvy home win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Enrique's forward pass into space on the left side of the area allowed his team-mate to break the deadlock, the forward poking home with his right foot as he squeezed the ball beyond goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and inside the near post.
The clever finish saw Suarez achieve the personal milestone faster than John Aldridge (92 appearances), Michael Owen (93) and Robbie Fowler (94).
Spurs turned the game around with a second-half brace from Jan Vertonghen, only for the hosts to capitalise on two defensive errors to take the points.
Stewart Downing equalised before Steven Gerrard scored the winner from the penalty spot. Suarez's landmark day ended with three Premier League points in the bag.
Liverpool 5-1 Norwich City, December 4, 2013
Having scored another hat-trick when Liverpool visited Carrow Road in September 2012, Suarez went one better in a midweek mauling of Chris Hughton's Norwich in the 2013/14 campaign.
He opened the scoring in style with another audacious lob over Ruddy, smacking a bouncing ball beyond the goalkeeper in the 15th minute.
From well over 30 yards out, the effort had not only enough height but also the required amount of pace to beat Ruddy's desperate dive and then dip in time to get underneath the crossbar.
No individual had troubled a canary as much since Sylvester's longtime pursuit of Tweety Pie. Unlike the unfortunate cat in the Looney Toons cartoons, however, Suarez always seemed to come out on top.
He went on to complete yet another hat-trick against Norwich inside 35 minutes, in the process becoming the first player in the Premier League era to register three trebles against the same opponents.
His fourth arrived courtesy of a curling free-kick in the second half. Not content with his own scoring feats, Suarez even provided the cross for Raheem Sterling to round out the demolition job with a late header.
Crystal Palace 3-3 Liverpool, May 5, 2014
Suarez scored his 31st goal of a sensational season at Selhurst Park, exchanging passes with Raheem Sterling before knocking the ball past Crystal Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni. It also proved to be his last for the club, too.
When the Uruguayan found the net in the 55th minute, Liverpool led 3-0. The seemingly certain win would see the Reds move three points clear at the top of the table with just one game to go. "We're gonna win the league," sang the joyous travelling fans.
Such was Liverpool's mindset, Suarez retrieved the ball out of the Palace net after scoring. Goal difference looked set to be the deciding factor in the title race with Manchester City, and there was still plenty of time to add more.
Of course, potential joy turned to deep despair. The Eagles dared to mount a comeback as Liverpool's creaky defence collapsed down the stretch, conceding three times in the final 11 minutes. A point still sent them top, yet the result handed City—who had a game in hand—a crucial advantage in the title race.
"Never has going top of the Premier League with one game to play been greeted by such an outpouring of grief, despair and disappointment—but this was a thunderous night in south London that turned all logic on its head," Phil McNulty wrote for BBC Sport, adding how the Palace comeback was christened "Crystanbul."
Suarez couldn't fight back the tears at the final whistle. He had done everything in his powers to end the club's long wait to be champions for a 19th time. Yet, instead of celebrating at the final whistle, he had to be consoled by team-mates.
The striker from Salto produced so many wonderful moments to make Liverpool supporters smile, yet the final memory for most will be him sobbing into his shirt after the most unlikely of outcomes.
How different things may have turned out for Liverpool had they just held on during that fateful Monday night.
Rob Lancaster is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All facts used in the feature are from LFC History unless otherwise stated.
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