Luis Suarez is "blowing up LaLiga" to prove to Barcelona that he is not finished, according to Gustavo Poyet.
Barca made the decision to allow Suarez to leave in the close-season after a successful six-year stay at Camp Nou.
Domestic rivals Atletico Madrid moved swiftly to sign him on a two-year contract in September and have reaped the rewards.
Uruguay international Suarez has scored 12 goals in 15 league games, adding two assists, and his side sat seven points clear at the top of the table heading into the weekend's top-flight action.
His compatriot Poyet, who formerly starred with Real Zaragoza, Chelsea and Tottenham, believes Suarez has been desperate to show he is not past his best, having turned 34 this month.
Discussing why he thinks Atletico are title favourites, Poyet told Stats Perform News: "They took a very important decision which would not be easy for some people.
"It was easy for El Cholo [head coach Diego Simeone], from what I know of him.
"Bringing in Luis Suarez as Barcelona didn't want him, bring him in now. And Luis went with his mentality, 'I will show you who I am'.
"A bit like a Uruguayan I am, 'You don't want me? Am I over? Let’s see!'.
"And this is blowing up LaLiga."
Leaving Barcelona gave Suarez the push he needed to make changes and give something extra, in the view of Poyet.
He added: "What it shows is that sometimes football players need something different, just something.
"It can be a different treatment or being tougher [on them]. But they need something to react to.
"He was low, not bad, but like the [Barcelona] team, he was low. He needed a new challenge and sometimes it is tough to get it in the same club.
"It can happen with arrival of a new manager, or signing a new player who becomes a rival of yours. There are different ways, but if it does not happen, it looks difficult.
"However, there is no doubt that joining such a special team like Atletico with such a special coach, similar character [to Suarez], you get it and he is showing that extra [effort] needed.
"Sometimes we all need to realise. Get out from the club and notice that you have to do something to change the situation.
"I was not doubtful on his performance, especially playing in that system and having that responsibility.
"I don't forget it that it was him or Diego Costa [playing] at the beginning, sometimes both together. But at the time, Costa had gone, with all the respect to other players, it was only Luis Suarez.
"That also gives him the responsibility on scoring 20 to 30 goals and Luis accepts it in a natural way."
Atletico play away to Cadiz on Sunday and Poyet was asked if he thinks they can finish the job and win the title in the second half of the season.
"I do, for two reasons," he replied. "First, they are very strong, all credit to them, and also, because Real Madrid and Barcelona are currently really poor.
"I don't see any consistency in any of them. Unfortunately, when I look at Barcelona or Real Madrid I don't know what to expect from them, I don't know what is going to happen.
"And that proves it is a year for other teams like Atletico Madrid of El Cholo to go the distance, to actually show they belong at the top without any falling.
"We will see how they can keep it up. We know everything can change with injuries, sending-offs, everything can become really difficult. But no doubts, the main candidate is Atletico Madrid."
Coventry City 2-3 Hull City: Tigers win five-goal thriller to keep play-off hopes alive
Hull City kept their hopes of gatecrashing the Championship play-offs alive with a thrilling 3-2 win over beaten FA Cup semi-finalists Coventry City on Wednesday.
Noah Ohio scored the winner with his first touch after coming on as a second-half substitute as Hull moved within three points of sixth-placed Norwich City with two games to play.
Coventry, meanwhile, saw their own hopes of returning to Wembley Stadium for a second successive play-off final all but ended, as they sit six points further back with three matches remaining.
Three days on from their remarkable comeback against Manchester United, the Sky Blues twice fought back to level things at Coventry Building Society Arena. Jaden Philogene's shot squirmed under goalkeeper Bradley Collins to put Hull ahead 31 minutes in, but Kasey Palmer levelled within five minutes with a stunning free-kick.
Hull went back ahead in controversial circumstances on the stroke of half-time, Liverpool loanee Fabio Carvalho converting from the penalty spot despite replays showing Joel Latibeaudiere's foul on Liam Delap took place outside the area.
Mark Robins' men again dragged themselves back into the game as Bobby Thomas headed Jay Dasilva's cross in just before the hour mark, but it was Liam Rosenior's visitors who found a winner.
Thomas went from hero to villain as his poor back pass sold Collins short, and Ohio got a toe to the ball to score the winner, keeping Hull's hopes of Premier League football intact.
Van Dijk: Liverpool have 'no chance' in title race after derby defeat
Virgil van Dijk conceded Liverpool might be out of the Premier League title race after they suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat to Everton in Wednesday's Merseyside derby.
Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored in either half to give the Toffees their first win over Liverpool at Goodison Park since 2010.
Liverpool struggled to find a way through the Toffees' defence despite dominating for long periods, and the Reds' captain says they will not outlast Arsenal and Manchester City without major improvements.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Van Dijk said: "If we play like today, then we have no chance to consider ourselves in the title race.
"We have to just focus on the next game and that will be a tough one anyway, so we will see.
"We're very disappointed, in so many ways. I think everyone has to look at their own performances. Did they really give everything, and do they really want to win the league?
"We're still fighting and there are still games after tonight, but if we play like we did overall in the game today – not winning challenges and giving the referee a chance to give free-kicks like he did many times, then you have no chance to win the title."
Howe: Newcastle performance in Palace defeat 'way off' Spurs win
Eddie Howe admitted Newcastle United's performance in the 2-0 loss at Crystal Palace on Wednesday was "way off" the one that saw them thump Tottenham in their previous game.
Howe's men hammered Spurs 4-0 in their last match, but they never got close to matching the attacking verve from that outing and a Jean-Philippe Mateta double condemned the Magpies to defeat at Selhurst Park.
Newcastle didn't even manage a shot on target until the 87th minute, accumulating just 0.42 xG (expected goals) as the likes of Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon struggled to make an impact.
Only against Manchester City in August (one) have Newcastle recorded fewer shots on target in a Premier League game this season than their two against Palace, and Howe was critical of his team's display in the loss, one that all but ends their hopes of finishing in the top four.
"[It is a] bad day for us," Howe told Newcastle's club media.
"I thought we were disappointing today, especially in the first 60 minutes. We were way off our levels against Tottenham and our best levels.
"I thought technically we didn't deliver a good performance, and out of possession I don't think it was a particularly good performance either."
Newcastle were unlocked twice for Mateta to score by a Palace side who themselves only generated 0.88 xG.
Howe was left frustrated by the manner in which his side conceded, adding: "I think we'll be disappointed with our performance technically today, and that's probably epitomised by the two goals where we're disappointed with how we've given them the ball in those situations and then how we defended.
"I think the goals sum up aspects of our performance where there was some good, lots of moments that could have led to opportunities, but we were slow to shoot around the box," he said.
The defeat, combined with Manchester United's 4-2 win over Sheffield United, means Newcastle drop to seventh, while eighth-placed West Ham are two points behind with a game in hand.
Newcastle have now lost eight of their last 11 Premier League away games, while they have lost on four occasions in London in the league this term, only doing so more times in a Premier League season in 2000-01 and 2005-06 (both five).
It's been a disappointing season for Howe and his side, especially compared to the heroics of last term when Newcastle finished in the top four, and the Magpies boss knows there's work to be done to get back to those levels.
"It's a day that we have to take our punishment, deal with it, and then try and improve," Howe continued. "It's frustrating because we know we're capable of much better."
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