The Spurs defender believes that the main reason why his side are nine points behind the Reds is the deadly quality brought by the Uruguayan

Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen believes that his side would be closer to Liverpool in the Premier League table if it were not for Luis Suarez.

Suarez has scored 28 goals in just 25 top-flight appearances this season to help the Reds into second place in the table, only four points behind leaders Chelsea with a game in hand.

Spurs’ next Premier League fixture sees them travel to Anfield on Sunday, with Vertonghen set to be handed the unenviable task of keeping the Uruguayan – and his strike partner Daniel Sturridge, who has 19 Premier League goals this term – at bay.

And the Belgian, who played with the striker at Ajax, feels that his former team-mate is the main reason why Liverpool are nine points clear of Tottenham, telling reporters: “Suarez, Suarez is the reason for that.

“At the moment he is up there as one of the best strikers in the world. I think he is the difference between the teams.

“They are one of the best teams in the league and they show it every week.

“It is going to be very hard, especially at Anfield, and I hope we can play as we did last season because we did very well, not the result but the performance.”

Liverpool won the reverse fixture at White Hart Lane 5-0 back in December – a game that marked the end of Andre Villas-Boas’ time in charge of Tottenham.