Suarez eligible to take on City

LUIS SUAREZ is eligible to face Manchester City tonight as Liverpool have yet to inform the English Football Association whether they accept the striker’s eight-match ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra.

Liverpool have until January 13th to decide whether to appeal the length of the suspension given to Suarez for calling Evra a “negro” seven times during the club’s game against Manchester United at Anfield on October 15th, according to the findings of an independent commission that were released to the club on Friday.

Despite the commission’s 115-page report and calls from anti-racism campaigners for Liverpool to accept the sanction, Anfield officials have yet to respond to the FA and Suarez is therefore free to face City unless the club’s position changes before kick-off.

Kenny Dalglish has also to decide whether to start Steven Gerrard against the Premier League leaders following his captain’s impressive contribution as a substitute in the win over Newcastle United. Gerrard, Suarez and Andy Carroll played only 69 minutes together during 2011 due to varying injury problems and there was a notable improvement in the €42 million striker’s display against Newcastle once the Liverpool captain entered the fray.

Dalglish said: “Andy was injured when he came, Stevie’s been injured two or three times, and Luis was suspended (against Newcastle). But I’ve always said it is not about who isn’t playing. I wouldn’t want to be disrespectful to any player we’ve got, so if you’re not available it is not worthwhile worrying about it. It is those who are available who are most important. The players we have in the squad are a real credit to the football club and they know when someone is not available they have to impress themselves and that’s what they’ve all been doing.”

City manager Roberto Mancini expects his players to learn the lessons from their shock loss at Sunderland very quickly.

City squandered the chance to open up a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League as they conceded at injury-time goal at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

The defeat compounded the frustration felt after a goalless draw at West Brom on St Stephen’s Day and there was little time to dwell ahead of Liverpool’s visit.

Mancini said: “We missed a big opportunity, a big chance to go three points up on (Manchester) United. I thought we threw three important points out of the window. It was important but now it is finished and we can do nothing.

“But at the same time, when we arrive back in Manchester, we need to think positively for the next game and for the future. We play again quickly and we should have good concentration for the next game. We have 45 points and we have scored 53 goals, and I think we need another 45 points in the second half.”

City were pushing for a late winner when they were caught on the counter-attack and Sunderland substitute Ji Dong-won broke through in dramatic fashion to beat Joe Hart.

The visitors had dominated possession in the second half and were unlucky in that Ji was marginally offside when he received the ball for the decisive touch.

Yet Mancini was alarmed at how vulnerable his side had seemed at the back throughout the game and wants improvement.

He said: “I don’t know how many chances we had to score but we need to pay attention in situations where we concede three or four counter-attacks. A top team can’t concede situations like this – maybe one, but not three or four.

“We wanted to try to score but sometimes, when you are on the pitch, you need to understand that there are some games you cannot score. You can do nothing.

“In that moment we should stay and finish – one point is better than nil.”

Mancini has voiced his unhappiness with City’s new year schedule, the Liverpool game kicking off little over 48 hours after the final whistle on Wearside. Because of that Mancini made six changes on Sunday with key men David Silva and Sergio Aguero left on the bench and Mario Balotelli not risked due to an ankle problem.

The line-up is expected to change again for tonight’s game.