Kolo Toure expects Luis Suarez to form a “very strong” partnership with Liverpool top scorer Daniel Sturridge when the Uruguayan makes his return from suspension.
Sturridge has fired six goals in six games at the outset of the 2013-14 campaign, including three game-winners in the Barclays Premier League, and has now found the target 17 times for the club.
The England striker has led the forward line for Brendan Rodgers so far this season but will be joined by Suarez during the coming weeks after the No. 7’s 10-game suspension concluded last weekend.
“Luis is a fantastic player — a top striker who can score a goal at any time,” Toure told the Liverpool Echo. “He will strengthen the team.
“Daniel Sturridge has been playing so well for us and the two of them will be a very strong partnership. I’m sure Suarez will be ready to be thrown back in.
“You saw from his international appearance the other week, in the first game he had played for a while he scored twice. That just shows how strong this guy is.
“He has been very difficult to defend against in training. He is a winner. He’s always working hard and fighting. You want those kind of players.”
The Reds’ unbeaten start to the new season was ended by Southampton at Anfield on Saturday, with defender Dejan Lovren‘s second-half header enough for the visitors to claim three points.
Toure adopted a philosophical approach to analyzing the result, arguing that a trip to Manchester United in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday is the ideal fixture to produce a response.
“It was a tough game — we didn’t start the game well,” the Liverpool No. 4 said of the Saints loss. “We couldn’t pass the ball like we have been doing and we couldn’t lift our pace. We weren’t positive enough. We need to have the courage to take the responsibility to pass the ball.
“For the four previous games we have been passing the ball well and working hard to get it back. We didn’t do that as a team on Saturday. We failed as a team.
“To concede a goal from a set-piece wasn’t good. We need to learn from our mistakes and move forward.
“It’s a setback but the season is long. You are going to have up and down moments, but what’s important is how you react to a defeat.
“United is the ideal game to pick us up. What a game to play. It has come at the right time after this setback. We need to focus on that now.
“I’ve played at Old Trafford for Arsenal and Man City and hopefully now Liverpool. I used to dream about playing in games like that, and now I’m going to do everything to make sure we get a win.
“As a group we just didn’t perform against Southampton. I’ve played at right-back for Arsenal in the past and if I can help the team then I’m happy to do so.”
