As far as Jan Vertonghen is concerned, Luis Suarez is the reason Liverpool leads Tottenham in the race for the Premier League title and qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Vertonghen, a Tottenham defender, called Suarez a world-class striker Monday, saying the Uruguayan’s ability explains the nine-point gap in the standings between his team and Liverpool.
“Suarez,” Vertonghen said when asked what separates the two teams, according to Sky Sports. “Suarez is the reason for that. At the moment he is up there as one of the best strikers in the world. I think he is the difference between the teams.
“(Daniel) Sturridge obviously is doing well, and those two are very hard to stop.”
Vertonghen missed the last meeting between Tottenham and Liverpool, which the Reds won 5-0 at White Hart Lane on Dec. 15, because of injury. Vertonghen is expected to play Sunday when Liverpool hosts Tottenham, and he knows Spurs will face another difficult test.
“They are one of the best teams in the league, and they show it every week,” Vertonghen said. “It is going to be very hard, especially at Anfield, and I hope we can play as we did last season, because we did very well, not the result, but the performance.”
Vertonghen will be sure to mark Suarez closely, as he knows what the Liverpool superstar can do. The two players were teammates at Dutch giant Ajax from 2007 to January 2011.
Vertonghen has developed into one of the Premier League’s top defenders at Tottenham, while Suarez is on pace to break the league’s record for goals in a season.
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Photo via LiverpoolFC.com
