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Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has hailed Luis Suarez as 'magical' after the striker was awarded the Professional Footballers' Association's Player of the Year award on Sunday night.
The Uruguayan has endured a mixed time since arriving in England with controversies often deflecting from his performances on the field which have seen him score 30 league goals in 31 appearances this season.
That tally comes despite the fact he missed the first five matches of the campaign as his ban for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic carried over into this term.
Suarez also publicly stated his desire to leave Anfield last summer but that all seems a long time ago as the Reds go into the final two matches of the season still with a chance of claiming the Barclays Premier League title and Rodgers is delighted he managed to hold onto his star forward.
"We're one of the biggest clubs in world football," he told the Daily Telegraph . "Sometimes you have to demonstrate your power and that's what we did."
Show all 24 1 /24Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Simon Mignolet 6 Not overly troubled by early Cole effort but the Belgian was left exposed by his defence for both goals as home side conceded at end of both halves
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Glen Johnson 6 Escaped caution after barging into Schürrle early on. Eager to move forward but often made wrong decision with final ball and ended game quietly
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Martin Skrtel 6 Has scored some important goals but spent most of the match helping repel Blues advances. Full-blooded but helpless with goals
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Mamadou Sakho 6 Strong challenge on Ba but left exposed by Gerrard’s slip as striker raced through. Had already sent effort high over Chelsea goal from Suarez cross
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Jon Flanagan 5 Was fortunate not to be punished for handball after blocking Willian effort. Replaced by Aspas as Reds desperately searched for a leveller
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Lucas Leiva 6 Brazilian was handed only his second start in three months and had his hands full, dealing with Chelsea’s probing while trying to break through
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Joe Allen 6 Unable to make significant impact on the game, despite his clever use of the ball. Forced Schwarzer into action was powerful effort after break
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Steven Gerrard 5 Not the captain’s best afternoon. Emotions got the better of him as he wrestled with Mourinho for ball before disastrous slip let in Ba for the first goal
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Philippe Coutinho 6 Sent volley wide when set up by Suarez and similarly off-target with volleyed attempt after the break. Guilty of giving away possession as Reds despaired
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Raheem Sterling 7 Scintillating form has added fresh impetus to Reds’ title challenge and began with intent before tiring. Forced Salah into conceding booking
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Luis Suarez 6 Buzzed around without having effect he has had most of the season. Caught in face by Cole challenge and had a late effort tipped over by Schwarzer
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Daniel Sturridge 5 (substitute) Without a goal for a month, the England international replaced Lucas for his first game in a fortnight but was unable to trouble his former side
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Mark Schwarzer 7 Risked by Mourinho despite injury concerns. Made important stops but few major tests as hosts struggled. Touched over late on from Suarez
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Cesar Azpilicueta 7 Initial struggles with pace of Sterling were overcome as one of Chelsea’s unsung heroes again put in a solid showing and also helped out in attack
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Branislav Ivanovic 8 Serb enjoys his trips to Anfield – last year’s bite notwithstanding – and put in a commanding resolute display. Canny in his constant time-wasting
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Tomas Kalas 8 Czech was calm and committed in his first start for the club, winning possession off Sterling with sliding tackle and helping neutralise effect of Suarez
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Ashley Cole 7 Successive starts for first time in three months and had beard to show for it. Dealt well with Sterling and shot from distance. Escaped elbow on Suarez
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings John Obi Mikel 7 Nigerian operated as almost an additional centre-back in only his second start in the last 10 weeks. Often in the right place to cut out a Liverpool pass
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Nemanja Matic 6 Added bulky defensive cover as visitors dealt well with Liverpool’s attacking start. Clever in possession and helped rebuff Reds’ attacks
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Frank Lampard 7 Happy to drop back and assist in defence and also provided threat from set-pieces. Went into referee’s book for meaty challenge on Sterling
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Mohamed Salah 6 Fourth successive league start. Kept pace with Sterling before bringing him down. Replaced by the more workmanlike Willian in the final half-hour
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Andre Schurrle 6 Pushed by Johnson in opening minutes and troubled Mignolet with low shot after beating the full-back. Willing outlet as Chelsea frustrated their hosts
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Demba Ba 7 Dealt well with thankless task of leading the line on his own. Quick to take advantage of Gerrard slip, keeping his cool to beat Mignolet with ease
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Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2: Player ratings Willian 6 (substitute) Growing importance to Chelsea side in recent weeks underlined by his starting on the bench. Came on for Salah and helped Blues seal points with second
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He added: "I'm interested in the person as much as the player.
"From the first year, he knew I would shape the team around his qualities. The way we set the system up is to be technical and intelligent.
"Probably what people don't see with Luis is that he's a very, very highly intelligent man off the field - and maybe sometimes in the past that intelligence on the field hasn't been seen so much - but that imagination is part of how we work.
"I love players that have that technical ability. That's what we've built our template on over the past 20 months and he's at the top end of that.'
"That's the beauty of him. It's that invention and creativity that we love.
"He's a player from the street and that's something that in this country we've been looking to identify.
"He's just relentless in his work. Every second of the day, in training, he's just non-stop.
"He has been coached but it hasn't been coached out of him. He has been allowed to flourish.
"In and around the box, he's magical."
PA
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