The 31-year-old is delighted to be at Napoli and working with Rafael Benitez once again, suggesting that he is hungrier for success this season

Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina has admitted that he does not see himself returning to Liverpool.

The Spaniard, who is currently on a season-long loan at the Serie A side, believes Brendan Rodgers’ preference for Simon Mignolet effectively spells the end of his Anfield career.

However, the 31-year-old insists he has no regrets over moving to Naples, where he has begun the season in strong fashion.

“No, at the moment, it’s difficult to think about being a Liverpool player next year,” Reina told the Daily Mail. “They have a young goalkeeper in Simon Mignolet and the manager prefers him to me.

“That’s the reason why I’m here and he will be at the club next year as well. There’s no reason to think I’ll be a Liverpool player from now on but we’ll see where the future takes us. It’s been a good move so far and I don’t regret what happened.

“It is such an important one for me with the World Cup around the corner and returning to the  top flight, playing in the  Champions League and fighting for the title, is something I have missed in the last two or three years.

“I’m happy to be back at this level. I never expected it but it’s been a great decision. I feel invigorated by the move.”

Reina has expressed concern over the manner of his Liverpool exit, though, suggesting that the first he heard of a move away was when he received a phonecall from Napoli while on holiday.

“It did come as a surprise,” Reina explained. “I would have preferred to say goodbye in a different way.

“It was the club [Liverpool] who made the move. I was on my holidays and nobody told me anything. Suddenly Napoli called and said they were agreeing terms with Liverpool and Liverpool just rang me two days later and said the same. They probably had their own reasons.”

The Spaniard is also delighted to be back working with Napoli boss Rafael Benitez and claims that he is hungrier for success this season.

“Mentally, I’m fresher, I have more hunger. It is not like before I wasn’t but a change can be good for your mind.

“You have to show the people even more and you have to be ready. The tactics and the managerial skills of Rafa [Benitez] are getting the best from me and that’s one more reason.”

Colin Pascoe believes the lethal strike duo will flourish alongside one another and maintains that the Uruguay forward is fully focused on furthering his Anfield career

Liverpool assistant manager Colin Pascoe has backed strikers Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez to forge a strong partnership.

The former Chelsea forward is currently joint-top of the Premier League’s scoring charts with four goals, while Suarez is set to make his Premier League return at Sunderland on Sunday – having served a 10-match ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic in April.

And following Suarez’s return to first-team action in the 1-0 League Cup defeat to Manchester United on Wednesday, Pascoe feels the pair can complement one another.

“Sturridge has been superb up there on his own and he’s got the goals and worked hard for the team. With Luis coming back in, we’re all excited about it,” he told the club’s official website.

“Straightaway, we’ve got a world-class striker coming back in.”

Suarez had looked set to leave Anfield during the close-season, with the Uruguay international stating his desire to move to another club and Arsenal seeing two bids rejected.

However, Pascoe maintains that the 26-year-old is fully focused on helping Brendan Rodgers’ side.

“He’s a great lad and he’s very committed to the team and to Liverpool. The way Luis plays, he’ll create chances and I’m sure that he’ll score many goals,” he continued.

“His return has given us a boost at Melwood. He has of course been around and he’s been training over the last few months.

“But once we knew that we had a date he would return for, the players couldn’t wait to get their arms around him and welcome him back into the side.”

Managerless Sunderland face a tough ask in their bid for a first Premier League win of the season when they host Liverpool on Sunday.

Paolo Di Canio paid the price for a poor start to the season – which has yielded just one point from five league games – when he was sacked following their 3-0 loss at West Brom.

Caretaker boss Kevin Ball stepped in for Tuesday’s 2-0 Capital One Cup victory over Peterborough United and will retain his place in the dugout for this fixture as Sunderland continue to search for a new manager.

Ball will take confidence from the victory, which saw midfielder Lee Cattermole play a key role. The midfielder was rarely involved during Di Canio’s brief tenure and the caretaker has backed the 25-year-old to help Sunderland move away from the foot of the table.

“When I saw him on the pitch on Tuesday – bearing in mind he had not played 90 minutes for a long time – I think he produced a very accomplished performance, along with a fabulous ball for the goal,” Ball told The Chronicle.

Of immediate concern for Ball is shoring up a leaky defence that has not kept a Premier League clean sheet in their last nine matches, of which six have ended in defeats.

Defenders Wes Brown (calf) and Phil Bardsley (foot) are still sidelined, while attacker Fabio Borini is ineligible under the terms of his loan move from Liverpool. Striker Steven Fletcher (shoulder) will also miss the fixture, meaning that American Jozy Altidore is set to start up front, while defender Andrea Dossena (thigh) may return against his former club.

Liverpool enter the match on the back of successive defeats to Southampton and Manchester United. Brendan Rodgers’s side enjoyed their fair share of chances in the 1-0 Capital One Cup loss at Old Trafford, which saw Luis Suarez make his return from suspension.

The Uruguayan forward will play his first Premier League fixture at The Stadium of Light after serving his 10-match ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.

Vice-captain Daniel Agger missed Wednesday’s fixture at Old Trafford with a knock and is in doubt, while fellow defenders Glen Johnson and Aly Cissokho (both ankle) and Sebastian Coates (knee) are sidelined. Creative midfielder Philippe Coutinho will also miss out after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Liverpool will take heart from their good away form in the league, with Rodgers’s side unbeaten in their last six matches on the road.

Striker Daniel Sturridge – who has scored four Premier League goals – has netted seven times in his last four away games in the league.

And Liverpool, who are likely to field former Sunderland players Simon Mignolet and Jordan Henderson, will be hopeful his hot streak of form on the road continues as they go in search of a fourth Premier League win this season.