Suarez: Spurs scalp pivotal to Europe hopes

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has urged his team-mates to beat Tottenham to give the Reds a small chance of making the Champions League.

The Reds are 10 points off fourth spot – the last qualification spot for the European competition – with Spurs occupying third place after a club record 12-game unbeaten run.

Liverpool have beaten just one top-10 side this season – a Swansea outfit who were preparing for a League Cup final – but nine goals in their past two league matches has given them a necessary confidence boost.

“We’ve been in good form recently and it’s a good opportunity to reduce the gap between ourselves and Spurs,” he told the club’s official website.

“There is a slight chance we can make Champions League football – and if we want to do that, this is the sort of game we need to win.”

The Uruguay international has notched 28 goals so far this season, 21 of which have come in the league, as he leapfrogged Robin van Persie in the Golden Boot race with a hat-trick against Wigan.

And Suarez has praised the efforts of his Liverpool team-mates for his goal return, while admitting he has set himself a target for the end of campaign.

He added: “I don’t know if I am in the very best scoring form of my life, but certainly I am enjoying a bit of what every striker needs and that is a little bit of luck.

“Last season, chances weren’t going in, whereas this year they are. You have to work hard as a striker to get into the right positions and anticipate situations – that’s important, too.

“It’s also evidence the team are working well and moving in the right direction as a whole – but at the same time, it is nice as a player to receive persona
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“I do set myself targets, but as a striker I like to keep them to myself. I’ll never reveal what my actual goal scoring target is, but I have set myself a target.”