Is Luis Suarez the best striker in the Premier League?

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been in top form scoring 13 goals in nine Premier League appearances this season

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez took his goal tally to 13 in just nine Premier League appearances with his four goals in the Reds 5-1 win over Norwich on Wednesday night.

The Uruguayan has been in red hot form this season, after missing the first six games of the season through suspension.

Unstoppable

When Luis Suarez is in form he is simply unstoppable. He seems to bamboozle defences with his clever movement and work rate. In the four home games Suarez has appeared in this season, he has found the net 10 times.

At times it seems that defenders are scared to tackle him, in case they make a fool of themselves or commit a foul on Suarez.

Controversial

There is no getting away from it Luis Suarez has had a controversial career. The Uruguayan is vilified for some of his past actions and has gained an unwanted reputation for being trouble. Unfortunately his football ability is often overshadowed by his controversial acts.

He has not done himself any favours by repeatedly committing acts of lunacy in some cases (see bite on Branislav Ivanovic). However, when he returned from his eight match ban following the bite on the Chelsea defender, the Uruguayan vowed to improve his behaviour.

The striker has seemed slightly less het-up on the pitch and seems to be enjoying his football. He is playing the game with a smile on his face and producing the goods on the pitch for the Reds.

Good start

Liverpool have made a good start to the season and are currently fourth place in the Premier League table. Luis Suarez has played a big part in the Reds season so far, but it is worth noting that they were doing well at the start of the season without the striker.

Liverpool’s early season form led to some Liverpool fans getting carried away and looking at challenging for the title. However, it now seems that they are in a more realistic position of fourth. It is vital that the Reds finish in the Champions League spots this season.

The assumption is that if Liverpool does not have Champions League football next season that Luis Suarez will head for pastures new, with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid both linked with moves for the striker.

Suarez has not actually came out and stated that he would be on the move if the Reds did not finish in the top four, but it seems like a distinct possibility, considering that the Uruguayan was attempting to instigate a summer move away from Anfield.

If Liverpool ever want to establish themselves at the top of the Premier League it is vital that they keep Luis Suarez. He is the man that supplies the magic in the current team. The player that is capable of getting a team something out of nothing and he would be impossible to replace.

Competition

Suarez is of course not the only top-class striker in the Premier League. Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero is two goals behind Suarez in the scoring stakes and is himself in red hot form. The Argentinian international is regarded as one of the best strikers in the English top-flight.

Suarez’s Liverpool teammate Daniel Sturridge is on nine goals for the season, but could miss the next seven weeks through injury. I do not think that Sturridge could be considered in the same bracket as Suarez or Aguero though, despite his recent improvement.

Then there is Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, who has almost single-handedly kept his team in the top half of the table this season. The England international has found the net eight times in the Premier League this season.

Last season’s Player of the Year Robin van Persie has struggled with niggling injuries this season, but has still found the net seven times in the Premier League. At the moment the Dutchman is not even playing, let only at the top of his game.

Everton’s Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku deserves a mention for his eight goals this season, but he is nowhere near the same standard as Luis Suarez. The youngster has put in some strong performances this season and may well become a world-class striker in the future. However, he is not quite there yet.

Best

Luis Suarez is probably the most in-form striker in Europe, neither mind the Premier League. He scores goals and he also works incredibly hard for the team. It would be hard to criticise the Uruguayan’s performances this season.

Last year he was slightly unlucky not to win Player of the Year, with Van Persie beating him to the accolade. His indiscretion against Ivanovic did not help his cause and neither did Liverpool’s inconsistent season.

If Suarez continues to maintain the same level of performance, then not only will he be considered the best striker in the Premier League, but also favourite to claim the Premier League golden boot at odds of 5/4. This could be his year for Player of the Year as well, but I think the likes of Aguero and Rooney will have something to say about that though.

Is Luis Suarez the best striker in the Premier League?