Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham are locked in an increasingly fascinating tussle for a top-four finish even though the Reds forward likely to take the immediate headlines

COMMENT
By Wayne Veysey at Anfield

While attention focused on the flaws in the genius of Luis Suarez, the race for the Champions League places took on another dimension.

The three-way fight between Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham for two places is increasingly tasty. Mouth-watering enough, perhaps, for Suarez to want to sink his teeth into it.

A title race procession and the seemingly inevitable relegations of QPR and Reading have robbed the final weeks of the Premier League season of much potential drama.

Indeed, had Spurs conceded all three points to Manchester City then there was a good argument for saying that it would be the most boring finale to a top-flight campaign in recent memory.

But the Londoners’ stunning comeback win and Suarez’s equaliser six minutes into added time against Chelsea have ensured that the battle for a top-four finish should be a compelling one.

With 63 points, Arsenal have a narrow numerical advantage but both fourth-placed Chelsea (62) and Tottenham (61) in fifth have a game in hand on Arsene Wenger’s Champions League perennials.

History would suggest that the Gunners and the Blues have what it takes to haul themselves over the finish line ahead of Andre Villas-Boas’ outsiders.

But this current Tottenham crop showed in the first of Sunday’s two thrilling encounters that they should not be underestimated. They have a resilience that was lacking in so many of their predecessors and, in fit-again Gareth Bale, they have what arguably their two capital-city rivals do not have – a player who can fashion victories almost single-handedly.

Had Spurs failed to come back from behind against the champions then it would have been hard to see them elbowing aside Arsenal and Chelsea.

Instead, the race for the minimum €29 million Champions League pot of gold looks like it will go down to the wire.

All three sides can point to a degree of momentum.

Despite their seemingly faltering form of the last month, skewed by their Europa League exit to minnows Basel, Tottenham have taken seven points out of a possible nine in the league.

Arsenal have responded impressively to their derby defeat to Spurs in February by sweeping aside teams in the bottom half of the table, winning five games out of six and drawing the other against Everton.

Chelsea have taken four points in four days from two tricky away games and, like Spurs, have captured seven out of a possible nine.

By dropping two late points against Liverpool, Rafael Benitez’s team have given their two fellow London sides a considerable shot in the arm.

On paper, the pivotal clash looks to be Spurs’ trip to Stamford Bridge on May 8. Arsenal have the easiest run-in of the trio and their match against Manchester United on April 28 could come after Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have already been crowned champions and have nothing for which to play but pride and win bonuses.

Chelsea have the strongest all-round squad of the three clubs but Benitez will have to continue to juggle his resources as they prepare for a two-legged European semi-final.

Whoever comes out on top, the three-way adds some allure to what was becoming a damp squib.

Few might feel like thanking Suarez tonight but he deserves a nod of gratitude for adding an unpredictable twist to the season finale.

The former Reds player and manager was embarrassed after the Uruguayan appeared to bite the Chelsea defender before bagging the equaliser in the 2-2 draw on Sunday

Former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness believes Luis Suarez is in “last-chance saloon” at Anfield after the Uruguayan appeared to bite Branislav Ivanovic during the 2-2 draw against Chelsea.

Suarez, who equalised for Liverpool in added time to earn a point against Rafael Benitez’s team, drew the ire of Ivanovic in the second half of their Premier League clash on Sunday afternoon.

The former Ajax striker has previously been banned for racial abuse and gesturing towards opposition supporters and Souness believes the latest controversy could put his future at the club in doubt.

“I’m not sure what to make of it,” he told Sky Sports. “Embarrassing. He’s making it very difficult for himself to stay at Liverpool, that puts him in the last-chance saloon.

“Most important is safeguarding the good name of the football club. Liverpool are world renowned. People will be talking about this for a long, long time, and it will show Liverpool in a very bad light.

“This is not the first time he has bitten someone in the football match [Suarez was banned for seven matches for the same offence while playing for Ajax in 2010].

“He is risking everything this great club stands for. I’ve never seen something like that in a football match before. There are lines you just can’t cross, and he has crossed it today.

“Those pictures will be beamed across the world. It’s very difficult for Brendan Rodgers to defend him. We will get politicians involved in this and everything.”

By Wayne Veysey at Anfield

Chelsea’s Champions League qualification hopes suffered a huge blow after Luis Suarez scored an equaliser six minutes into added time.
Eden Hazard scored what had looked to be the 58^th minute winner from the penalty spot after Daniel Sturridge had cancelled out Oscar’s first-half header.

But Suarez headed in Sturridge’s cross just as Chelsea appeared to have secured the three points necessary to keep them on course for a top-four finish.

On an afternoon when Anfield paid tribute to former manager Rafael Benitez, back at the stadium for the first time since he was sacked in 2010, and tireless Hillsborough campaigner Anne s, the occasion will also be remembered for the less savoury side of Suarez.

The Liverpool forward appeared to bite Branislav Ivanovic on the arm midway through the second period after they have jostled for the ball in the Chelsea penalty box.

The Uruguayan, who was banned during his Ajax days for biting, is likely to find himself in hot water when the footage of the incident is reviewed by the Football Association.

Benitez has had to juggle his recources to cope with Chelsea’s fixture overload but he made a comparatively meagre three changes from the team that won 3-0 at Fulham on Wednesday. Cesar Azpilicueta, John Obi Mikel and Oscar came in for John Terry, Frank Lampard and Victor Moses, who all dropped to the bench.

Liverpool made only a single alteration to the team that drew 0-0 at Reading last weekend, with Stewart Downing replacing the benched Daniel Sturridge.

The air was heavy with emotion and sentiment at Anfield. Before kick-off there was a minute’s applause in memory of Hillsborough campaigner Anne s, who died during the week, and the Boston Marathon. In a terrific tribute, ‘There’s only one Anne s’ reverberated around Anfield.

Meanwhile, Benitez was given the warmest possible welcome by the Kop, who chanted his name throughout the first half.

The former Liverpool manager watched his old side take an early grip of the match without looking particularly threatening, but it was the team he manages only on an interim basis who took the lead after 25 minutes through an unlikely source.

Oscar deserves credit for the deftness of his header direct from Juan Mata’s corner but there will be question marks over both the failure of the defenders to track his straightforward run to the front post and the goalkeeping of Pepe Reina, who was beaten inside his near post.

Moments later, Reina nearly made one of the howlers of the season. A speculative David Luiz shot was pinged straight at him but the Spaniard contrived to make an almighty mess of it, almost spilling it behind the line. The sighs of relief around Anfield were audible when he clawed it away at the last second.

Suarez always looked Liverpool’s most likely avenue for a goal but it was not until the 42^nd minute that the Uruguayan got in sight of goal. The No7 was slipped in by Downing on the right of the area but his fiercely-struck shot was too close to Petr Cech, who comfortably made his first meaningful save of the afternoon. The same pair were in action on the cusp of half-time but, on this occasion, Suarez shot weakly at the keeper from what was a tight angle.

Sturridge, a half-time replacement for the disappointing Philippe Coutinho, immediately gave Liverpool the spark they had been missing.

The former Chelsea man’s first two contributions were exquisite. Firstly, he nearly created the equaliser with a brilliant run and pass from the right only for Cech to divert away Gerrard’s first-time shot with his leg. Then, he cracked a superb 30-yard shot against the post after pirouetting away from the attentions of the boys in blue

It was third time lucky for Sturridge, who put the finishing touch to a sublime move after 52 minutes following the most delightful of dinked crosses from Suarez.

With Liverpool playing some sparkling stuff, the atmosphere was vibrant. But the hosts could only hang on to their lead for five minutes after conceding another soft goal.

Replays showed referee Kevin Friend was correct to point to the penalty spot after Suarez handled the ball in his own area. Hazard nonchalantly drove the spot-kick into the left corner.

Suarez was at the heart of all Liverpool’s best play but he was once again cast in the role of villiain midway through the second period. After wrestling for the ball with Ivanovic in the Chelsea box, Suarez grabbed the defender’s arm, moved his face towards it and appeared to sink his teeth into his opponent’s bicep. It instantly looked a reckless act.

Liverpool continued to press for an equaliser. Jonjo Shelvey appeared to have wasted their final chance when he shot wide late on.

But Suarez refused to give up and sent the home support wild with his late headed equaliser from Sturridge’s cross.