The Brazil midfielder is delighted that the Reds have tied ‘the best player in the league’ down to a new four-and-a-half-year contract

Lucas Leiva believes Liverpool have shown they mean business by persuading much-coveted striker Luis Suarez to commit his future to the club until 2018.

The Uruguay international, who has hit 19 goals in just 12 Premier League outings this season, had looked destined to leave Anfield in the summer, after stating his desire to play Champions League football.

However, Liverpool stood firm and the former Ajax man performed a dramatic u-turn on Friday by putting pen to paper on a lucrative long-term deal.

Lucas told LFC TV: “What he is doing this season and what he has done in the past few seasons he deserved that (his new contract). We can see he is really comfortable playing here.

“It (the new deal) is a positive message because the owners (Fenway Sports Group) and manager (Brendan Rodgers) said they want to keep their best players and at the moment he is not only our best player but the best player in the league.

“Hopefully he will maintain this form for a long time for the club.”

Liverpool will stay top of the table if Arsenal fail to beat Chelsea on Monday night.

The striker has scored 10 goals in his last four Premier League games, including a double against Cardiff, with the Citizens his next opponents on Boxing Day

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini admits his side face a battle to contain Liverpool’s Luis Suarez on Thursday.

City moved up to second in the Premier League on Saturday, a point behind Liverpool, with a 4-2 triumph at Fulham representing their eighth win in nine games across all competitions.

However, the visit of Liverpool will see Pellegrini’s men come up against the top flight’s in-form player – Suarez has scored an astonishing 10 goals in his last four outings, taking his tally to 19 from 12 Premier League games this season.

Looking ahead to Thursday’s match, Pellegrini noted the threat of Suarez and also suggested up to six teams remain in contention for the league title.

“[It will be] very difficult because Liverpool are a very good team,” Pellegrini told reporters. “Suarez is in a very good moment.

“We are just finishing the first half of the Premier League, two more games, [but] this Premier League is not only about Liverpool and Manchester City. Five or six teams will fight to the end.”

City will head into the Liverpool game in confident mood having won all eight of their home league fixtures this season, scoring 35 goals in the process.

Another two goals from Luis Suarez guided the Reds to a 3-1 victory over Cardiff City as the team moved to the top of the Premier League table

Brendan Rodgers feels his Liverpool side can improve further after a 3-1 win over Cardiff City boosted their Premier League title hopes.

Luis Suarez scored twice to take his tally for the season to 19 as Liverpool cruised to a fourth win in succession on Saturday to take them top of the table.

Rodgers’ in-form side are firmly in contention to claim a first league crown since 1990, but the 40-year-old is confident improvements can still be made.

“It was an outstanding team performance [against Cardiff],” Rodgers told reporters. “I thought [in the] first half we were exceptional; some of our movement and the fluidity in our game was excellent.

“We controlled the game, scored three and maybe could have had a few more.

“You’ll see from January that this is a team that’s been on the up really.

“I think what you see now is a set of principles and footballing ideas that we’ve been implementing over the course of 18 months here and they are coming to fruition.

“Players are enjoying playing and it’s a real aggressive, attacking style of football but hard work is the core value within that. It’s pleasing and I think we can get better.”