Phil Thompson has compared the contribution Diego Costa makes at Chelsea to what Luis Suarez brought to Liverpool.
Liverpool had the best striker in the world in their team only three years ago. Luis Suarez was a talisman for the Merseyside club, especially in the 2013/14 season where his genius helped Liverpool almost win the Premier League for the first time in history.
The team that Liverpool had for the 2013/14 season was good, but it was pushed onto greater things by Suarez’ manic brilliance. The Barcelona forward was often embroiled in controversy, but this was swept under the carpet in light of his ability to conjure up moments of magic to win games for Liverpool.
His departure saw the purchase of Mario Balotelli for £16 milllion as Liverpool attempted to recreate the crazy genius that Suarez brought. A perfect replacement, as Phil Thompson told Sky Sports, would have been Diego Costa.
The Brazilian-born Spanish international is often caught up in some kind of on-field scandal. Whether it’s provoking players, bad tackles or just plain stamping, Costa is never far from the sort of controversy that Luis Suarez is famed for.
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“Diego Costa seems to have got his mojo back,” Thompson told Sky Sports in an interview.
“You would love him at your football club. It’s like Luis Suarez, everyone hated him but we loved him at Liverpool.
“I think he is fantastic. Yes, he goes over that line quite often but he does bring something special to that side.”
READ MORE: Liverpool must be wary of Diego Costa’s attacking threat on Friday
Liverpool have lacked an outright talisman since Luis Suarez’ £65 million move to Barcelona in the summer of 2014. Philippe Coutinho has come close to replicating the inspirational performances that Suarez displayed in a red shirt, but the Brazilian wizard’s inconsistency has ruled out the title of being Suarez’ successor.
Jurgen Klopp will be warning his defenders to keep an eye on Costa while maintaining a cool head when Chelsea host Liverpool tomorrow night.
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