Liverpool MD Ian Ayre says Luis Suarez damaged brand

Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre has admitted Luis Suarez's racist abuse and biting incidents have damaged the Premier League club's brand.

Suarez returned on Wednesday in the 1-0 Capital One Cup defeat at Manchester United from a 10-game suspension for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, having previously served an eight-game ban for clashing with Patrice Evra.

Although happy to have the Uruguay striker back, Ayre said on the ban: "It was damaging to the brand but this club is bigger than one player. Luis is a street fighter and we had to deal with it."

He was keen to praise the forward for the way he had reacted to his latest setback and added: "We've worked a lot with him since the Ivanovic incident and he's back to what he's best at - terrorising defenders.

"We all move on together. Hard work and lessons have been learnt post-Evra and we now have a process in place for any crisis. Not a Suarez crisis, just any one."

Ayre gave Liverpool supporters some further encouragement when he described plans over the redevelopment of Anfield as having made "huge strides".

Despite seeing his side knocked out of the Capital One Cup Brendan Rodgers was pleased with his side's performance, especially Luis Suarez. 

He added: "Our ambition is to stay at Anfield, and we're about 90% down the road in securing proprieties affected by redevelopment. I'm reasonably confident, the first phase will be closer to 60,000 capacity."

Ayre was also pleased with the way he and owners Fenway Sports Group were managing the club's operating debt and insisted that the cost of Anfield's redevelopment had also been considered.

Jamie Carragher, Jamie Redknapp and Gary Neville discuss Luis Suarez's return to action for Liverpool. 

He said: "You should always be worried but it is important we manage the debt. The business is headed in a positive direction and we will announce numbers in January next year.

"The business is in excellent health and moving towards a profitable position. The stadium's redevelopment is easily manageable."