Suarez and Carra discuss ‘painful’ title collapse

Matt Stead

Luis Suarez says the draw with Crystal Palace which virtually ended Liverpool’s hopes of winning the Premier League “hurt so much”.

With three games remaining of the 2013/14 season, Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool side enjoyed a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League with just three games remaining, but contrived to finish second after failing to win any of them.

A 2-0 defeat to Chelsea in the first game was detrimental to their hopes of winning their first league title since 1990, and the draw with Crystal Palace, having led 3-0, meant Manchester City surged ahead to win their second title in three years.

Speaking to Jamie Carragher and the Daily Mail on the Palace defeat, Suarez said: “That hurt. That hurt so much. We were so desperate to win it. I knew we had a unique opportunity and we were playing so well.

“It was that desire to get more goals against Crystal Palace that let them back into it and killed us. I knew when we drew that game the league was lost. Everyone was sick.

“We spoke about you in the dressing room during that run-in, you know,” Suarez told Carragher. “You had played for 17 years then, 12 months out, we came so close. How did it feel for you watching?”

Carragher replied: “It was difficult, really. My son was going to every game and of course you want them to win for him, for your family and friends, for the club. Then, on the other hand, I was thinking I would be remembered as the man who left a year too early if they won it.”

Suarez added: “I never told you this but I always thought the club should have recognised you far more when you retired. For the career that you had, one of Liverpool’s greatest players, you should have had a much bigger and better send-off in your final match. That’s just what I felt.”