Rodgers wants to help Suarez

The Uruguay international was at his brilliant best in Sunday's 1-1 draw at home to Newcastle, producing a superb equaliser to cancel out Yohan Cabaye's opener just before half-time.

His constant running and teasing of the Magpies defence also led to visiting captain Fabricio Coloccini being sent off late on for a foul on the 25-year-old.

Suarez has scored seven league goals this season - in his last nine matches - which is more than half the team's tally for the campaign.

"It was a brilliant goal for Luis and a terrific performance and it bodes well for us going forward," said Rodgers.

"It doesn't worry me. He gets picked to score goals but of course I would want them to be more spread out.

"Everyone knows that is the key feature for us. We need to get goals from other areas but I can't complain when we play to that level.

"Once we get that type of player in that is really going to finish off a lot of great work for us.

"We play him (Suarez) in that false nine role. He's not a traditional number nine who's up there, stood, static.

"That's why when we get a number of players in who can work off his qualities, that's going to make us a real threat.

"I ask him to get on the move and get defenders out of their positions.

"His cleverness and movement at the moment is world class. It's then important that we've got men running in off that.

"If we can add to the group, you can see the excitement in our team."

Liverpool dominated throughout but their failure to take chances would have cost them had it not been for their mercurial South American forward.

Cabaye's goal was good, taking one touch to control Hatem Ben Arfa's cross before smashing a half-volley past Brad Jones just before half-time.

But Suarez's control in bringing down Jose Enrique's 50-yard ball with his shoulder and shimmying past goalkeeper Tim Krul was sublime.

Even Newcast le manager Alan Pardew had to agree.

"Suarez is a top player. He caused us problems and when he plays the game in the right spirit he is a fantastic player," he said.

The Magpies boss also had no issue with Coloccini's red card.

"I don't think there is any malicious intent but it doesn't look good and we may have to accept it," he said.

"But I don't want to make it a big issue about the referee. Morale for referees must be really low because of what is going on (regarding Chelsea's complaints about Mark Clattenburg) and so I had no problem with his performance, which was spot on. It was a tough game to manage."

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers was delighted with his side despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Newcastle

Newcastle had taken the lead late on in the first-half through a Yohan Cabaye strike, but Liverpool claimed a point through Luis Suarez's superb finish.

The draw means that Liverpool have only one home win to their name in the league this season, but Rodgers was anything but downbeat.

"I thought we were outstanding, I have to say, our intensity and possession was relentless in the game," he told Sky Sports.

"We went to sleep just before half-time but for every other moment of the game I thought we were brilliant, and we deserved three points but we could just not put away any of the chances we had."

Despite going into the interval behind, Rodgers says he and his team never panicked.

"I just said stay calm, sometimes when you dominant the game like we did and concede, it can be easy to play desperation football and chase the goal but I thought it was important (to keep) playing as we were playing as we opened them up enough t imes," he continued.

"In fairness to them they defended well but they had to, but I thought second-half like the first, our pressing, our pressure, our possession was good and fast and we could just not finish off the many of the chances that would allow us to win the game and that is our fifth draw in ten games.

"But as we go forward and once we improve the group we will certainly turn draws into wins and with that type of football we will create chances."

Despite Liverpool's results being far from ideal this term, Rodgers insists they are a team 'moving forward'.

"I believe we are a team moving, moving forward and as you have seen from the performance today it was absolutely outstanding and once we improve the group over the course of the coming months hopefully that will kick us on again and we can turn these draws into wins," he said.

"As long as we keep playing our performance level is important. That we control games and dominate the ball with the young players we have, we clearly have a great future going forward."

Rodgers also found time to hail star striker Luis Suarez.

"He has been fantastic, I think most people in football know he is a real threat. Everyone knows he is quality and a fantastic guy and his work rate and intensity is phenomenal."

Yohan Cabaye says Liverpool's Joe Cole should consider Lille return

Cole spent last season on loan at Lille to help fill the void following Cabaye's move to Newcastle United, but has made just four appearances since heading back to Anfield.

The 30-year-old was replaced at half-time in the midweek Capital One Cup defeat by Swansea City and manager Brendan Rodgers subsequently implied Cole had not been value for money for Liverpool.

Galatasaray have been linked with a January loan bid for Cole, but Cabaye believes a move back to former French champions Lille could be a sensible option.

"It's difficult for him because he's not playing much," said Cabaye in the Daily Star Sunday.

"He did well for Lille and maybe it would be a good choice for him to go back there. If he wants more games, he can play more there.

"They like him at Lille, the club, the manager and the fans.

"I heard that the manager Rudi Garcia was keen to take him back. Joe did well, he fought for the team, so the people and the club liked him."

Cole appears unlikely to be involved for Liverpool against Newcastle on Sunday and Magpies boss Alan Pardew wonders why he has never truly fulfilled his potential.

Pardew said: "Joe's a great talent and, for whatever reason, something has gone missing.

"I remember at West Ham, we played Chelsea and I turned round in my dressing room and he was in the middle of it, chatting with everyone, as if he was going to play for me!

"This was before the game. I had to chase him out. He's an infectious guy and I hope he finds his feet.

"At the top of his form, you wouldn't want him playing against you."

Painful times ahead - Rodgers

The Reds finished 37 points behind Premier League champions Manchester City last season and are currently in the bottom half of the table - 14 points off the pace.

However, Rodgers - who left Swansea for Anfield in the summer - is not put off by the challenge and is thinking long-term at the club.

He told several Sunday newspapers: "There are certainly no regrets about coming here.

"It was always going to be a massive job. I signed a three-year deal but that process of rebuilding will go beyond that. Hopefully I can be here to do that."

Rodgers' predecessor Kenny Dalglish spent in excess of 100million on players.

However, Rodgers added: "There is no quick fix here.

"We have to balance the finances and that is what we are doing. There will be a bit of pain on the way."

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers says Steven Gerrard strives for continuous improvement

The 32-year-old is poised to reach another notable landmark on Sunday, with it expected that he will line-up against Newcastle United and make his 600th Liverpool appearance.

Gerrard has been a model of consistency throughout his distinguished career, but he is not one to rest on his laurels and consider himself to be the finished article.

Rodgers told the Reds' official website: "He's been brilliant since I came in. He's 32 years of age, captain of the England team and he and I are still looking at ways to improve his game - and that is a big mark of respect to him because he's achieved many things in the game.

"We're looking at videos, analysing his game one to one and looking at areas he can improve - I think that says everything about him, about his mentality and his willingness to want to improve.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again, he's an iconic figure for this football club and hopefully on Sunday he gains that 600th appear ance.

"He, along with the likes of Jamie Carragher, are the great stalwarts of this club.

"I think he's still got a lot left in the tank because of his motivation. Mentally he wants to achieve and physically he's looking very good at the moment."

Improve

Rodgers, Gerrard and Liverpool will be hoping a meeting with Newcastle allows them to improve on a home record which has made for dismal reading of late.

Rodgers added: "I think there have only been three victories over the course of the year.

"It's something we want to improve. We tend not to want to look back so much and try and look forward.

"We've had difficult games this season at home and been unfortunate not to have won more of those in the league.

"As of late, that performance level has picked up and we've looked solid from behind. Our game in terms of our passing and moving has been very good. We just need to continue with that."

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers feels Luis Suarez has been made scapegoat over diving

Suarez was again singled out in the build up to last weekend's Merseyside derby, with Everton boss David Moyes claiming his antics would drive fans away from the game.

However, Rodgers has jumped to the defence of Suarez and feels the Uruguayan has been unfairly targeted for complaints which is widespread throughout the game.

"I believe this will be the ongoing debate, and now people will see that diving is an issue which is at every club - it is widespread within the game," Rodgers said. "It is ridiculous to single out one man, because every single club has an issue."

Swansea's Angel Rangel, Everton's Phil Neville and Chelsea striker Fernando Torres were all booked for diving last week and Rodgers feels Suarez should no longer be an easy target.

"Just look at last weekend, and two players you would deem to be great professionals - Angel Rangel and Neville - almost above criticism," added Rodgers.

"Rangel was booked against Manchester City for diving but I worked with him for two years at Swansea and he's one of the most honest, genuine people I've come across in my life. But he got booked for diving.

"Neville is 35 and over the years you would consider him to be a really honest guy, an impeccable professional. But then he gets booked for diving after his manager has read the riot act to his players by all accounts. Then you have Fernando Torres booked for diving.

"So managers have made a criticism of Luis, but I can guarantee you they will have players who are criticised for diving. Hopefully people won't continue to vilify Luis just because he was the easy target before, and look beyond themselves and their own players to see it's part of the game.

"Of course we don't like it when it's blatant and personally I believe we must continue to fight to eradicate that. But it is nonsense to suggest it's just a problem with Luis Suarez."

Rodgers also warned opponen ts that it is no good trying to wind up Suarez, feeling it only makes the striker stronger.

"I honestly don't think you can wind Luis up, by having a go at him for diving or anything else," continued Rodgers.

"Others have tried to use it as a psychological tool to put him off and affect referees but it makes him stronger.

"Looking at his performance levels, consistency and goals he's scored, they'd be better off saying nothing. He'll always divide opinion. If he's on your team people will love him but if he isn't he'll get a bit of stick, but that's because he's world class.

Newcastle defender Steven Taylor says Liverpool's Luis Suarez is brilliant

Suarez has been saddled with a reputation as a diver for much of his time in the Premier League, but Taylor prefers to focus on the Uruguayan's football ability.

Liverpool welcome Newcastle to Anfield this weekend and Taylor has outlined the various threats Suarez will bring to the game.

"He's a brilliant player," Taylor told the Daily Mirror. "Some of the goals he scores are unbelievable, and as a defender, he's one of the trickiest centre-forwards out there you'll come across.

"He's very direct. He just gets the ball and it's attack, attack, attack.

"The biggest threat from him comes when your team is attacking. That's when he's at his most dangerous because of the swift way he can break. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time and if you're off your guard for even a split-second, he'll punish you."

Regarding the accusations that Suarez is a diver, Taylor added: "People try to target Suarez because of ho w good he is. They'll do anything they can to make him not do something that gives his team the advantage.

"Not just talking about Suarez, but if strikers can fool everyone else, it's clever from them. At the end of the day, if you're the defender and you allow them to do that, then everyone will look at you and say you've made the mistake.

"That's why our manager tells us that if you're in the box, you touch their player and he goes down, then you've only got yourself to blame."