Luis Suarez bags a hat-trick as Liverpool hits struggling Cardiff for six

LUIS Suarez blasted a hat-trick as Liverpool kept the pressure on Premier League leaders Chelsea with a remarkable 6-3 victory over Cardiff.

LUIS Suarez blasted a hat-trick as Liverpool kept the pressure on Premier League leaders Chelsea with a remarkable 6-3 victory over Cardiff City.

Brendan Rodgers's side trailed twice in the first half at the Cardiff City Stadium, but eventually overwhelmed the struggling hosts with another sublime attacking display.

Suarez was the key to Liverpool's blistering performance and the Uruguay forward now has 28 league goals this season, while Liverpool have scored 18 times in their last five matches.

News_Image_File: Cardiff simply couldn’t contain Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez.

Defender Martin Skrtel weighed in with two goals, while Daniel Sturridge was also on target as Liverpool stayed within four points of Chelsea with a game in hand over Jose Mourinho's table-toppers.

Cardiff had led through Jordan Mutch and Fraizer Campbell goals, but by the time Mutch scored again in the closing stages, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team were already condemned to a defeat which left them second bottom of the table and three points from safety.

Rodgers made just one change to the side that crushed Manchester United 3-0 last weekend, with Philippe Coutinho taking over on the left side of midfield from Raheem Sterling.

From Cardiff's first piece of possession, Steven Gerrard was booked for hauling down Campbell.

News_Rich_Media: Relive all 32 goals from an incredible night of Premier League action, headlined by Chelsea's 6-0 demolition of Arsenal, Manchester City's 5-0 drubbing of Chelsea and a typically-Liverpool 6-3 victory over Cardiff.

Liverpool were under heavy pressure early on and in the ninth minute Cardiff were in front.

Fabio and Campbell combined down the right and when the latter fed the ball inside to Mutch, the former Birmingham midfielder beat Mignolet with a crisp strike.

Eight minutes later, the visitors were level.

Showing terrific patience against Cardiff's rearguard action, Jordan Henderson fed the ball inside Declan John and Glen Johnson's cross was dispatched with aplomb by Suarez.

Soon after Campbell cut inside and beat Mignolet with his left foot to make it 2-1.

However, five minutes from half-time, Coutinho whipped in a teasing cross that Skrtel volleyed past Marshall from close range.

Eight minutes into the second half and with Theophile-Catherine and Mutch off the field having been treated for head injuries, Liverpool took the lead when Skrtel rose to head home Coutinho's corner.

Sturridge was becoming increasingly influential and his cross-shot just before the hour mark crashed into the side netting.

Although Rodgers seemed to be encouraging his side to take the sting out of the contest, Liverpool swept forward in search of the goal that would seal the points.

It came in the 61st minute when an audacious back heel from Sturridge picked out Suarez who did the rest.

Suarez returned the compliment 10 minutes later with Sturridge beating Marshall after a delightful cross from the Uruguayan.

Mutch snatched an 88th minute consolation but it was too little too late for the Bluebirds.

And inevitably it was Suarez who had the final say when he escaped Juan Cala and side-footed home in stoppage-time.