Suarez is player of the year, but Sturridge is right behind him (ESPN article)

by Dave Usher for ESPN

Luis Suarez once again took the plaudits as well as the match ball after Liverpool's latest goal rampage on Saturday. His treble against Cardiff City in a wild 6-3 win for the Reds was the Uruguayan's third hat-trick of a prolific season in which he has now equalled a club record of 28 goals in a Premier League campaign, set by Robbie Fowler in 1995-96.

Incredibly, Suarez has done this with eight games still remaining and despite missing the opening five fixtures through suspension. It's worth mentioning too that he has done it in 15 games fewer than it took Fowler. Think about that for a second; Fowler is one of the greatest finishers English football has seen and that was his most productive season, yet Suarez has completely blown his record away. It's a remarkable feat, but what makes it even more impressive is that not only is Suarez the league's leading marksman, he also tops the assists chart too.

Many Liverpool fans believe that Suarez should have been named Footballer of the Year last season, but his reputation among his fellow pros meant he had no chance of winning the PFA award (his name was even booed by some when it was read out at the awards dinner), while the biting incident with Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic ended any hope he had of winning over the nation's football writers for their prize (he received only two votes). Suarez would certainly have been a worthy recipient of either award, but so too was Tottenham's Gareth Bale in fairness and a strong case could be made for either of them.

This year it's a completely different story. Bale is no longer on these shores while Suarez has elevated his game to an even higher level and, significantly, his behaviour has been impeccable thus far too. He's even being nicer to opponents these days; often sharing a cordial exchange with his marker during stoppages in play (perhaps apologising for yet another nutmeg?) or helping them up off the floor after a tussle. Previously he'd have either left them lying there, or if the mood took him, he may well have trodden on them on his way past. I even remember him using one opponent as a human surfboard in front of the Kop during a Europa League tie last season!

Basically what I'm saying is that this season Suarez is up there with the very best footballers on the planet and -- despite Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's laughable attempts to bang the drum for his midfielder, Eden Hazard -- in terms of the Footballer of the Year award there shouldn't even be anyone else in the conversation. You simply can't make a case for anybody else; it's a one horse race.

If you take Suarez out of the equation, however, then it becomes an interesting discussion. Hazard has been fantastic for Chelsea, as has John Terry (much as it pains me to admit it). Yaya Toure is having a great season at Manchester City while but for injury problems Sergio Aguero may well be up there competing with Suarez for the Golden Boot. I've seen all these names and others mentioned as potential rivals to Suarez, but there's one name that doesn't seem to be cropping up in these discussions as much as it should, and that is Daniel Sturridge.

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