Everton boss Roberto Martinez has claimed that Liverpool are struggling to compensate for the loss of Luis Suarez.

The Uruguay international hit 31 goals for the Reds last season before he was sold to Barcelona in July for around £75m.

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has since spent around £120m, but the Toffees chief thinks that his local rivals are still feeling the absence of last year's PFA and FWA Player of the Year.

"It's early in the season and it's about adapting to those demands and having different players and new ways of playing because obviously Luis Suarez was very significant," Martinez told reporters.

"Every team changes when you change personnel. You need to find different ways of playing and there is a little bit of adaptation with European football because we're both going through the same period."

Everton travel to Anfield this weekend.

Written by
Paul Gorst