Sturridge aiming to help Suarez

West Ham have returned from a training camp in Dubai but assistant manager Neil McDonald has insisted it was anything but a mid-season holiday for the players.

The Hammers took the opportunity to get away for some warm-weather work ahead of their Barclays Premier League clash with Tottenham next Monday.

McDonald confirmed the trip was all about hard work as they look to replicate the effects of a similar excursion during last season.

"It's never a reward," he told the club's official website. "Unless it is something like an end-of-season trip after getting promoted or staying in the Premier League. That would be classed as a reward, but this trip was part of our training regime.

"We did a similar trip last year and we got positive results. We might not get the result we want straight away, but it is certain over the coming weeks that the players will up their game, their energy levels and the distances they cover."

Suarez's strike in the 5-0 win over Swansea at Anfield took his tally to 18 league goals for the campaign and the Uruguay international is currently the division's second-highest scorer.

Only Manchester United striker Robin van Persie - on 19 goals - is ahead of Suarez at this point in the Golden Boot standings and Sturridge plans to do everything he can to boost his team-mate's chances of reaching the number one spot by the end of 2012-13.

Asked if he thought Suarez could claim the award this term, Sturridge told liverpoolfc.com: "I don't see why not. There are 11 games left for us so I'm sure he can. I'll try to help him get there and give him opportunities.

"It's always good to get individual glories as a player because they're the things you can look back on at the end of your career and tell your grandchildren you were top scorer for that season.

"I'm sure he'll be gunning for that and I'll try to help him get there."

After Suarez's effort made it 4-0 on Sunday, Sturridge netted Liverpool's fifth with a penalty, leaving the England forward's record since joining the Reds from Chelsea in January showing five goals in seven appearances in all competitions.

The other scorers for the Reds, who moved up to seventh place with the win, were Steven Gerrard with another spot-kick, Philippe Coutinho and Jose Enrique.