Liverpool 5 Norwich City 1
Torture by Luis Suarez has become a matter of routine for Norwich City but that does not diminish his capacity to astonish. The Liverpool striker continued his personal crusade against Chris Hughton’s team with four memorable goals.
Suarez took his individual tally against Norwich to 11 goals in four appearances with one outrageous 40-yard strike, an instinctive piece of skill, a glorious half volley and a 25-yard free-kick, becoming the Premier League’s leading goalscorer in the process.
And to think he only commenced this season on September25th. He also created the fifth for Raheem Sterling.
Norwich were not that bad, the visitors opened promisingly with Nathan Redmond prominent off the left wing and Jonny Howson forcing Simon Mignolet into an early save.
However, a slight mistake from Leroy Fer was punished with ruthless brilliance by the Uruguay international.
Careless touch
Fer had escaped with a few loose passes around his own penalty area before another careless touch from the Dutch midfielder dropped to Suarez inside the Norwich half.
Everyone inside Anfield was stunned as Suarez went for the first-time shot and astonished when it flew over Ruddy into the Kop goal.
Wes Hoolahan missed a decent chance to equalise from a Bradley Johnson cross and, from Liverpool’s next attack, Suarez doubled the advantage.
Again the finish was immaculate, a hooked volley from close range. A miscued corner from Coutinho, whose return to the starting lineup improved the supply to and speed of the Liverpool attack, found Steven Gerrard at the near post. He failed to connect with a glancing header but the ball sailed through to the unmarked Suarez to apply an emphatic final touch.
Suarez’ hat-trick goal was another that left Anfield drooling. A swarm of white shirts closed in on the forward as he attacked Norwich down the inside left channel. He reacted by flicking the ball over Fer, letting it drop on the edge of the penalty area and angling his body to drive a wonderful half volley across Ruddy and into the far corner.
The Uruguayan became the first player in Premier League history to score three trebles against the same team.
"I wish Suarez would just leave us alone," tweeted Norwich's Anthony Pilkington. Suarez departed at half-time to a standing ovation.
Penetrate easily
Liverpool continued to penetrate easily after the interval. Ryan Bennett cleared off the line from Gerrard's diving header at the end of a flowing move,
Ruddy saved brilliantly from a Joe Allen drive from 25 yards, the Welshman recalled at the expense of Lucas Leiva, and Suarez forced another low save from the goalkeeper before scoring his fourth of the night.T he striker whipped his set-piece over the Norwich wall and inside the keeper’s right-hand post.
The visitors grabbed a late consolation when Johnson headed in from Redmond’s cross but the final word deservedly belonged to Liverpool.
Suarez was inevitably involved with a low centre that Sterling converted at the back post. In the final minute Brendan Rodgers attempted to substitute Gerrard for a standing ovation. He made Suarez leave to one instead. –
Guardian Service
LIVERPOOL: Mignolet; Johnson, Flanagan, Allen, Skrtel, Agger, Henderson (Luis Alberto, 69), Gerrard, Suarez ((I Aspas, 92), Coutinho, Sterling. Subs not used: Jones, K Touré, Moses, Sakho, Lucas
NORWICH CITY: Ruddy; Martin, Olsson, Fer (Whittaker, 72), R Bennett, Bassong, Hoolahan (Murphy, 62), Howson, Elmander (Hooper, 69). Johnson. Booked: Redmond. Subs not used: Turner, Garrido, Becchio, Nash, Murphy
Referee: A Taylor
Attendance: 44,541
