Aston Villa skipper Ron Vlaar feels Liverpool striker Luis Suarez is trying to rid himself of the bad parts of his game.

Former Feyenoord skipper Vlaar ­remembers the storms that Suarez - back in the bad headlines this week for seeming to punch an opponent while playing for his country - created during his time at Ajax.

He was once banned for seven games for biting during a fiery clash with PSV Eindhoven and got a reputation for diving in his early games in England.

Vlaar said: "You talk about the dives in England, but it was the same in Holland. What can I say? Things happen in a game, the story follows him.

"I remember there were some issues in the ­papers at home where it was talked about.

"But it has stopped here, just as it did eventually in Holland. I think his quality as a player has made that change.

"I think he wants us to talk about his qualities and he is doing the right things at the moment to make that happen."