Did the race row affect John Terry and Luis Suarez?

Posted Monday, November 21, 2011 by The Sun

Did the race row affect John Terry and Luis Suarez?
SU TOUGH TO HANDLE ... John Terry controls the ball in front of menace Luis Suarez

WITH John Terry and Luis Suarez in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, SunSport focuses on how they did in the big game.

COMPOSURE

TERRY was pushed to his limits by Liverpool's relentless pressure, as well as the presence of the unpredictable Brazilian David Luiz alongside him in the back four.

Suarez was far more emotional but always managed to keep his temper in check — despite the intense scrutiny he was under.

CROWD REACTION

CHELSEA fans gave a special cheer for the pre-match announcement of Terry's name while the travelling Liverpool fans reserved their jeers for Fernando Torres.

Suarez was predictably applauded by the Reds supporters. The home fans pretty much ignored the Uruguayan striker for most of the game.

WORK-RATE

THE Liverpool striker put in a phenomenal shift, running himself into the ground and never giving Chelsea a moment's peace in midfield or defence.

No-one could ever question Terry's commitment to the cause but he really had his work cut out as Chelsea were pulled all over the place by Liverpool's movement.

ATTITUDE

TERRY never threw in the towel even when his team were being over-run by a rampant Liverpool attack but even he could not get a toe to Glen Johnson's late winner.

Suarez faded as the match wore on — no doubt due to his phenomenal work-rate — but he was always available despite the lack of clear scoring opportunities.

VERDICT

TERRY is at the head of an ageing Chelsea team who are on the decline as a Premier League force and all his chest-thumping can not paper over the ever-increasing cracks.

Suarez once again showed that he is more than willing to put in a shift for his team-mates. Add that to his finishing ability and he is a nightmare for defences.