Liverpool hero Phil Thompson believes his old side’s season would have been far more successful had they signed Alexis Sanchez, and that he would have not let Luis Suarez head to Barcelona unless the now Arsenal ace was arriving at Anfield.

The Chilean was the Merseysiders’ major target last summer when it became clear that their 31-goal hit-man was eager to join the Catalan side.

But despite moves from the Reds to land Sanchez, he ultimately went to the Emirates Stadium, with ‘London life’ cited as a major factor.

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The ex-Udinese man has since gone on to emerge as one of the Premier League’s finest attacking talents, and has netted 14 league goals – more than the Liverpool’s orthodox strikers combined.

Brendan Rodgers’ team are now all but out of the running for a top four finish following a limp showing at Hull – they lost 1-0 – and with FA Cup semi-final defeat, their season is looking a train wreck following a second place finish just under a year ago.

And Thompson believes that things could have been different with Sanchez in the XI:

“Suarez is a big-game player who demands things from other players,” he told Sky Sports. “Why was Daniel Sturridge so good last year? Because Suarez demanded it, Raheem Sterling the same.

“The talk was that Liverpool had made a big bid for Sanchez. I wouldn’t have let Suarez get in the taxi to the airport if Sanchez hadn’t have already done the deal,

“Liverpool were in the driving seat on this. They could have said to Suarez, ‘sorry, as much as you want it to go and it’s Barcelona, you are not going anywhere until he signs.’

“I know there were family issues and that’s why he went to London but I wouldn’t have let it (the Suarez transfer) happen.”

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