I feared Suarez exit –Gerrard

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has admitted he feared star striker Luis Suarez would leave Anfield over the summer.

The Uruguayan international returned from a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in the Capital One Cup defeat to rivals Manchester United before scoring twice in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Sunderland in the Premier League.

But it looked as though the striker would be leaving the club during the transfer window, with Real Madrid linked with him before Arsenal put in an offer of £40m and one pound in the hope of triggering a release clause.

Suarez remained at Liverpool, though, and Gerrard admits he is delighted by his team-mate’s decision to stay, as well as his positive attitude since committing to Brendan Rodgers’ side.

“When you have a player as good as Luis Suarez, you know that the big clubs are going to want him,” said Gerrard.

“He is a special type of footballer and he gives us something different. When the club got the message to him that they were not going to sell him, he got his head down and has worked hard.”

“I was waking up every morning, hoping that nothing would happen and that he would still be here.

“Nobody tried harder than me to make him stay and he knows exactly what I think of him. I knew if we could keep him here, the better our chances would be.

“He is a special type of footballer and he gives us something different. When the club got the message to him that they were not going to sell him, he got his head down and has worked hard.”