Kenny Dalglish may insist the £35 million fee Liverpool paid Newcastle for their centre forward is irrelevant, but Carroll's status as the most expensive English player in history, his apparent role as England's number nine apparent, means it is his destiny to dominate the build-up to games throughout his career.
It is Suarez's to decide them once they start. The Uruguayan scored the winning goal here, brilliantly doubling Liverpool's lead against a disciplined, dogged Wolves after Charlie Adam's deflected strike helped them on their way.
Steven Fletcher's strike ensured an anxious end, but Dalglish's side clung on. That is not to say Carroll played poorly: far from it.
This time last year, the striker was being hailed as the reincarnation of Jackie Milburn and Alan Shearer, anointed as England's future, an authentic hometown hero.
12 months and one British record move on, he finds himself written off, his fitness, form and focus in doubt, his professional dedication and private delectations questioned by all and sundry, up to including the England manager.
Except, of course, at Liverpool. Here, Dalglish insists, Carroll knows exactly who is on his side.
The Scot's loyalty, of course, endures only so long as it is rewarded when wearing red; after an unconvincing start to the season, this can be considered the beginning of that repayment.
Carroll may not have scored, but it was his effort, his power and his presence, which led to the hosts' first: the forward seemed to foul Johnson as the two tussled for a high ball, the rebound fell to Stewart Downing who found Adam, and the Scot saw his effort deflected home by the furious Wolves captain.
His involvement seemed to inspire Carroll; where he has been stationary in recent games, here he ran, into channels and over challenges.
He leapt to meet a Stewart Downing corner but headed straight at Wayne Hennessey, he produced a clever cross which narrowly evaded Suarez's toe.
The difference in Liverpool was seismic. For much of the last nine months, it has been only the boisterous Uruguayan who injects electricity into Dalglish's side's play.
Carroll's contribution, at times, doubled the voltage. The light Suarez emits, though, has a habit of casting all else into shade.
If a blink-of-an-eye back heel through Johnson's legs was not enough to remind Anfield of their first love, his goal certainly was, latching on to Jose Enrique's through pass, bringing the ball under his spell with his right foot, turning Christophe Berra's guts into garters, twisting one way and then the other before firing past Hennessey at his near post.
That should have been game over – indeed, had Suarez not seen another effort dribble past the post just before the break, it would have been – but Liverpool's chronic profligacy, combined with Mick McCarthy's team's characteristic tenacity, ensured it was not.
Fletcher rifled past Pepe Reina immediately after the interval, profiting from good work from Karl Henry and Stephen Hunt, offering Wolves hope.
Three misses in as many minutes from the hosts sustained it. First, Hennessey smothered a Suarez effort after Carroll made his presence felt and beat the goalkeeper to a Downing cross; a moment later, the 22-year-old headed on to the post from another Downing cross; then the winger saw his shot saved after a jet-heeled counter attack led by Charlie Adam presented him with a clear sight of goal.
Liverpool, nervous now, seemed to freeze. Kevin Doyle might have scored after a six-yard box scramble as the Kop gave voice to mounting anxiety.
Nini/telegraph
Except, of course, at Liverpool. Here, Dalglish insists, Carroll knows exactly who is on his side.
The Scot's loyalty, of course, endures only so long as it is rewarded when wearing red; after an unconvincing start to the season, this can be considered the beginning of that repayment.
Carroll may not have scored, but it was his effort, his power and his presence, which led to the hosts' first: the forward seemed to foul Johnson as the two tussled for a high ball, the rebound fell to Stewart Downing who found Adam, and the Scot saw his effort deflected home by the furious Wolves captain.
His involvement seemed to inspire Carroll; where he has been stationary in recent games, here he ran, into channels and over challenges.
He leapt to meet a Stewart Downing corner but headed straight at Wayne Hennessey, he produced a clever cross which narrowly evaded Suarez's toe.
The difference in Liverpool was seismic. For much of the last nine months, it has been only the boisterous Uruguayan who injects electricity into Dalglish's side's play.
Carroll's contribution, at times, doubled the voltage. The light Suarez emits, though, has a habit of casting all else into shade.
If a blink-of-an-eye back heel through Johnson's legs was not enough to remind Anfield of their first love, his goal certainly was, latching on to Jose Enrique's through pass, bringing the ball under his spell with his right foot, turning Christophe Berra's guts into garters, twisting one way and then the other before firing past Hennessey at his near post.
That should have been game over – indeed, had Suarez not seen another effort dribble past the post just before the break, it would have been – but Liverpool's chronic profligacy, combined with Mick McCarthy's team's characteristic tenacity, ensured it was not.
Fletcher rifled past Pepe Reina immediately after the interval, profiting from good work from Karl Henry and Stephen Hunt, offering Wolves hope.
Three misses in as many minutes from the hosts sustained it. First, Hennessey smothered a Suarez effort after Carroll made his presence felt and beat the goalkeeper to a Downing cross; a moment later, the 22-year-old headed on to the post from another Downing cross; then the winger saw his shot saved after a jet-heeled counter attack led by Charlie Adam presented him with a clear sight of goal.
Liverpool, nervous now, seemed to freeze. Kevin Doyle might have scored after a six-yard box scramble as the Kop gave voice to mounting anxiety.
Nini/telegraph
