Rodgers: Suarez is priceless

Liverpool - Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers
says that he will never put a price on Luis
Suarez's head as he never wants to see the
striker leave the club.
Suarez scored his 14th Premier League goal this
season as Liverpool beat West Ham United 4-1 at
Anfield on Saturday.
It was the fourth time in a row that the Reds had
scored four goals at home and Suarez was again
one of the shining lights.
"I don't think you can put a price on him and I
wouldn't want to," Rodgers said of a player who at
one point seemed destined for pastures new
during the close season.
"He has two and a half years here left on his
contract and if you look at his consistency and
how he is playing, at this moment in time, he is up
there with the best players in the world.
"Most teams in the world would want Luis
Suarez. I wouldn't swap Suarez for anyone. I get
the chance to work with him every day and what
he gives is a relentless desire.
"When you have that, you don't want to let him
go. It has been a real privilege to work with him. It
hasn't always been smooth sailing. He is a very
humble man. Beneath it all, he is a real good guy
who is a true professional.
"His will and desire oversteps the mark
sometimes, but he is a brilliant player to have."
Guy Demel turned into his own goal before half-
time to give Liverpool the lead before France
international Mamadou Sakho scored his first goal
for the Reds just after the break.
Martin Skrtel then gifted West Ham a lifeline when
he inadvertently sent the ball past team-mate
Simon Mignolet and into the Liverpool goal as he
tried to cut out a clearance.
But Suarez scored with nine minutes to go with a
powerful header before dispatching a shot that
Joey O'Brien deflected in for another own goal,
thereby securing victory.
Liverpool had some tough moments in the game
when West Ham clogged up the midfield, but they
were deserving winners, with Philippe Coutinho's
creative play and Suarez's threat complemented
by Joe Allen's intelligence in midfield.
The win moved Liverpool up to second place in
the Premier League, but there was concern after
captain Steven Gerrard was forced off in the
second half with a hamstring injury.
"I think we just need to assess Steven's injury,"
Rodgers said. "Hopefully it is just a strain."
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce bemoaned
Kevin Nolan's late dismissal for a nasty challenge
on Jordan Henderson, having earlier seen Stewart
Downing forced off by injury at half-time.
"Kevin Nolan shouldn't have lost his cool, but he
did, and Stewart Downing is in hospital having his
Achilles and calf stitched up from a nasty
challenge from (Jon) Flanagan," he said.
The east London club are now only above the
relegation zone on goal difference, but Allardyce
does not believe they deserved should a heavy
defeat.
"I think it was a harsh scoreline," he said. "I think
we showed in the first half that we didn't deserve
to be 1-0 down.
"Suarez scores the third and it shows you how
ruthless this league is when you miss
opportunities. When you play Liverpool, your
opportunities are going to be limited."