Gus Poyet has claimed that Liverpool's decision to sell Luis Suarez in the summer of 2014 cost Brendan Rodgers his job as manager of the English club.

Suarez played a key role in Liverpool's strong title challenge in the 2013-14 campaign, but the Anfield club ultimately fell just short and Suarez left for Barcelona in the summer.

Rodgers struggled at the helm following the loss of his leading marksman and was sacked earlier this season after a poor start to the campaign.

"[Suarez's] departure has cost Liverpool a lot," Poyet told Omnisport. "Among other things, probably Brendan Rodgers's job. Maybe if Suarez was still playing for Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers would be the coach today.

"In England, he did good things in his first year, but his second year, he was unique. Some people misunderstood my words when I said that Liverpool almost won the Premier League thanks to Luis Suarez. I just wanted to demonstrate the significance of Luis Suarez on the pitch. I wasn't going against Liverpool."

Former Sunderland boss Poyet, who now manages AEK Athens, is among the names currently being linked with the vacant position at Swansea City.