Norwich City 0 Liverpool 3:"YOU HAVE to say that's magnificent," went Barry Davies's commentary after Diego Maradona followed up his Hand of God goal against England in 1986 with one of the greatest of all time. A similar sentiment could have been expressed at Carrow Road after Luis Suarez's performance.
Thiswas merely a mid-table Premier League skirmish rather than a World Cup quarter-final, but the South American's display made it a special occasion and even those who dislike him - and the chants directed at him by Norwich City fans suggested that many such people were present here - had to acknowledge he is a delightful talent.
He has an ability to confound defenders with skills they cannot legislate against. If he had not been guilty of bad finishing so often this term then he would surely have been challenging to be the Premier League's top scorer.
But he seems to be finding his shooting form just in time to pose problems for Chelsea in the FA Cup final this weekend.
Suarez's ninth and 10th league goals of the season were splendid. His 11th, which gave him his first hat-trick for Liverpool, was simply extraordinary. Elliott Ward erred on halfway to gift Suarez possession but the striker still had more than 45 yards to go to reach the goal. To the bewilderment of John Ruddy, he made the ball do all the work by lobbing it over the goalkeeper and into the net.
"He's a fantastic footballer, nothing he does surprises you," said Kenny Dalglish.
Liverpool host Fulham in the league tomorrow night and Dalglish has to judge whether the temptation to play Suarez is stronger than the temptation to rest him for Saturday.
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