Sunday 4 January 2015 10:50, UK
There will be a Merseyside flavour to things at the Anoeta when Real Sociedad host Barcelona on Sky Sports as David Moyes and Luis Suarez resume hostilities, writes Adam Bate...
The hot-headed Uruguayan forward and the experienced Scottish manager might seem unlikely rivals, but the pair have history and will be acutely aware of each other’s presence at the weekend.
Suarez scored in his first Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, also netting an important equaliser in the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Everton at Wembley in 2012.
Liverpool won that contest and Suarez also scored in each of his three trips to Goodison Park as a Liverpool player.
Moyes was in charge of the Toffees for the first two of those matches and it was on the second of these occasions that Suarez succeeded in really getting under the skin of the Everton boss.
Having seen Jack Rodwell sent off for a challenge on Suarez that Moyes felt was a dive, the manager admitted on the eve of the October 2012 game that he was wary of a repeat.
"I've got concerns about Suarez, yes, because he's got history and these people are very good at it," he told reporters.
"Last year was a dive, and the referee made a really poor decision that ruined the game after 15 minutes. It will turn the public and fans off football if they think people are conning their way to results."
Those words had a motivating effect on Liverpool’s star man, who proceeded to score with a deflected effort and celebrate with a feigned tumble right in front of the Everton dugout.
Reds boss Brendan Rodgers called it "Scouse wit" and even Moyes took the incident in good spirits. "I thought it was great," he said afterwards. "I actually quite liked that and it is the sort of thing I'd have done if I'd scored."
Moyes was more concerned that the player had not been red carded for a foul on Sylvain Distin, although his own daughter Lauren further inflamed the situation by taking to Twitter to say she was surprised her father had not headbutted Suarez.
That's the sort of out-of-control behaviour more befitting of Suarez himself and when the pair faced each other again the following season, it marked the striker's comeback from one such indiscretion having completed his ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic.
Moyes was the Manchester United manager by that point and got the upper hand on the occasion of Suarez's return as his team ran out 1-0 winners in a Capital One Cup clash at Old Trafford.
But Suarez was not to be denied on his next trip to the stadium, inspiring Liverpool to a 3-0 win that did much to end any remnants of confidence in the Scot at United.
Moyes has enjoyed a similarly mixed start to life in charge at Real Sociedad, conceding a last-minute equaliser at Levante last time out, surrendering the lead in the Basque derby against Athletic Bilbao and losing 4-0 at Villarreal.
However, he's also unbeaten at the Anoeta since taking charge and a big occasion such as the visit of Barcelona could inspire his side given their status as underdogs.
Suarez will be among that much-fancied Barca side, although he's not quite found the same form in Spain following his summer switch from Liverpool.
Having scored just once in eight La Liga appearances, Suarez could do with a goal and a game against La Real would be a good time for him to hit form after a rare winter break for the forward.
If he does so, could Luis Suarez have a special celebration lined up for the former Everton and Manchester United boss on the touchline?
Watch Real Sociedad v Barcelona live on Sky Sports 5 HD at 8pm on Sunday
