Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed Luis Suarez is “working his socks off” to be fit and ready to return when his suspension for biting Branislav Ivanovic ends next week.
Suarez will be free to pull on a Liverpool shirt, for the first time since the Ivanovic incident on April 21, in next Wednesday’s Capital One Cup trip to Manchester United.
Despite his long lay-off Rodgers believes Suarez will be in perfect condition after tailoring his training programme, and organising intra-club matches, to make a “seamless” return.
“We have been organising some games behind closed doors, both in terms of in-house 11-a-side matches and bringing teams in,” Rodgers told the reporters.
“The idea is that hopefully when he steps back in it will be seamless.
“Of course there will be a transitional period for him but I am really looking forward to having him back. He is working his socks off.”
Suarez has played with Uruguay since his ban began - appearing in the Confederations Cup in the summer as well as this month’s two World Cup qualifiers.
“In between that he has had international games as well to keep him ticking along,” Rodgers said.
“He has been doing a lot of individual work specific to him on top of all that and replicating his high-intensity speed runs that he would do in a game.
“It is not the same as playing in a match but say he did 1,000 high-intensity runs in a game, he has been replicating that in training so that he is at a level where we hope he will hit the ground running.”
