It is safe to say that Luis Suarez firmly divides opinion. The Liverpool forward isn’t an easy man to like; for every bit of sublime skill on the pitch there is often an equally hideous charade off it. I don’t like Luis Suarez, but I like many others are learning to appreciate him

Suarez is the best footballer in the Premier League, he is irreplaceable, there will has never been a Luis Suarez before and there will probably never be one again, he is unique. This is what makes a player world-class, a rare commodity that cannot be imitated; these are players that offer something completely different to anyone else. The likes of Ronaldo, Messi and Bale are all able to influence a game with a flash of brilliance, something only a special few can do.

In the past you wouldn’t have found the Uruguayan on a Ballon D’Or lists or even in the running for the PFA gong, personal issues have always limited his appeal. But there comes a point where emotion comes out of it and people just have to sit up and take note of his footballing genius; for me Suarez is fast becoming the real deal.

This season has typified everything that Luis Suarez is about; a lengthy ban followed by a run of attacking brilliance. 13 goals from 9 league games with 24 opportunities set up for others to boot, Suarez is running riot in the Premier League. A player that you just cannot categorise, he can play anywhere in almost any role.

Last night epitomised the man’s genius, almost single handedly ripping an ailing Norwich side to shreds. It wasn’t the four goals and an assist that was so impressive but the manner of his haul. Each and every goal was in the top bracket, the sort of goals players aspire to score once in a season, certainly not 4 in a single game. Norwich were powerless to resist Suarez, each and every goal was unstoppable. John Ruddy with little to do bar picking the ball out of the corner of the net, this was an attacking master class.

I think Charlie Nicholas summed up the feeling towards Suarez’s performance perfectly:

"If he continues to play for Liverpool for another couple of seasons I think you're potentially looking at the best player ever in a Liverpool shirt. He really is. He takes my breath away."

The kind of player that simply takes your breath away, captivates whole sections of the footballing public and gains acclaim from all corners of the media. Brendan Rodgers watched on almost in shock at what he was seeing, a performance that wouldn’t be out of place on any footballing stage. He told Sky Sports:

“Well certainly I haven't seen better. It was a brilliant performance, just a pleasure to have watched that. Every goal was like a 'wow' goal, from the first right through to the end, so incredible performance by an incredible player and, as I said, it was a real pleasure. I really enjoyed watching my team tonight, we were full of creativity and goals and worked very hard."

He added: "You can't ask any more, he's certainly earned his money and just a pleasure to work with. I think you see his happiness, he's really happy in his football and the whole club just is a hand-in-glove fit for him."

Only a select few are capable of a performance like last night, Suarez is fast entering the upper-echelons of world football. Much like Bale the Uruguayan is fast becoming the hottest commodity on the planet and someone that will surely be catching the eye of the biggest clubs in the world.

Whatever happens in the future, it is safe to say the league is better for having someone like Luis Suarez. These stars are few and far between and as much as it pains me to say, we are lucky to have him.

A man that does his best to be hated, but whose on-field abilities make him a man to be admired. Luis Suarez is most definitely now up there with the best.

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