Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish insists Luis Suarez's value to the team is judged on far more than goals.
The 24-year-old scored for the first time in the Premier League since October 1 as the Reds beat QPR 1-0 to end a run of four successive Anfield draws dating back two months.
During that period Suarez has racked up two Football Association misconduct charges, one for making alleged racist remarks to Manchester United defender Patrice Evra with the other coming this week after he apparently made an offensive gesture to the crowd after Monday's defeat at Fulham.
The £22.8million signing has been fully supported by Dalglish, who believes his player has earned an unwarranted reputation for going down too easily which has resulted in opponents unfairly targeting him.
However, Suarez put all that behind him to put in another impressive all-round performance, which was capped by his 47th-minute close-range header to end his league goal drought.
"I would never judge anyone solely on goals," said Dalglish.
"That is for the simple reason that you wouldn't judge a goalie on saves because if he is making great saves we have some problems somewhere else.
"Everyone is entitled to score a goal but certainly for anyone who scores a goal they get a tremendous lift so I am sure it will help the wee fella."
The goal was Suarez's fifth in the league - and eighth in all competitions - but with better fortune he could have had many more this season.
But the way he celebrated with his team-mates suggested it was a relief to end his drought.
"It was good to see Luis on the scoresheet because the chances have been coming for him, but he's just not been able to get them into the back of the net," Charlie Adam, who provided the cross for the goal, told liverpoolfc.tv.
"But like all top strikers they always wait for their time and Luis was the match winner.
"I'm delighted for him because he works ever so hard for the team - and his hard work paid off with another great goal."
Suarez should have put his side ahead with a 10th-minute header but the fact he directed it straight at Radek Cerny, who then saved well from Maxi Rodriguez, suggested it could be another frustrating afternoon at Anfield.
Liverpool have dominated matches at home but have the joint-worst conversion rate in the league and 18 goals in 15 games tells its own story.
With a record like that, Dalglish's side are doing well to be sixth in the table but had it not been for Suarez's intervention, heading home Adam's cross after losing his marker two minutes into the second half, the tale could have been worse.
Cerny made another good save from Rodriguez while substitute Craig Bellamy fired a free-kick into the side-netting before Shaun Wright-Phillips diverted the Wales international's cross on to his own crossbar late in the game.
QPR were second-best for most of the game but could have snatched a point if Danny Gabbidon had been able to divert Joey Barton's inswinging free-kick on target.
Manager Neil Warnock was realistic in his assessment of the defeat, but after reluctantly pressing substitute DJ Campbell into service late in the second half - having been forced to rest Heidar Helguson - he knows where his work has to be done.
"It was squad rotation with Heidar; if he played yesterday there was a risk of him missing two to three weeks," he said.
"It was only a minor thing and if it had been the last game of the season he would have played but he will be all right for next week (against Manchester United).
"I had to ask DJ Campbell to come on the bench. He's had nine weeks out, had two days running and not kicked a ball yet but I needed another forward because we only had defenders and midfielders.
"You look at Liverpool's bench and that is what we have got to aim for over the next 12 to 18 months.
"We have to stop in the league and get the bench better so we can change games and win games from the bench."
Warnock expects central defender Anton Ferdinand to be out with a hamstring injury for a fortnight.
"It will probably be a couple of weeks and it opens the door for Matthew Connolly or Fitz Hall, who would be fit next week," he said.
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