Jose Mourinho reckons Liverpool are an entirely different animal without Luis Suarez this season.
The Uruguayan arrived at Anfield in January 2011 for a fee of around £22m and scored 82 goals in 133 games before moving to Barcelona for £75m in the summer.
Suarez was the key to Liverpool’s title charge last season but the lure of Spain proved too strong and he waved goodbye to Merseyside.
Brendan Rodgers signed Mario Balotelli and a number of other players in the summer but none in the class of their main man last term.
His departure has seen the Reds slide down the table, they lie seventh in the Premier League ahead of Chelsea’s visit tomorrow, and Mourinho isn’t surprised.
“In the Premier League I'm not surprised with anything,” he said.
“Every match is difficult. You don't know when people are going to lose a point. Pre-seasons were difficult for everyone. After the World Cup, pre-season, no time for a proper work. You don't know how people react and how you'll start the season.”
“Obviously [Suarez is] a very good player, and when you lose good players you lose something. But they have fantastic funds to invest in a new squad, to improve their squad.
"They improved it a lot, buying so many players, so many important players, all of them internationals, some of them internationals for England, so they invested very, very good. Their potential is there.”
Mourinho today confirmed Diego Costa would start at Anfield despite being omitted from the Spain squad this morning.
Loic Remy is also fit to return to the squad while Daniel Sturridge is a big doubt for Liverpool.
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