Down to Ten Men

The Jurgen Klopp era at Liverpool is a matter of days old, yet to take in its opening Premier League fixture, but the German tactician has already been handed his first managerial headache on Merseyside.

Thursday brought the news of season-ending injuries to Danny Ings and Joe Gomez, with cruciate ligament damage bringing their respective campaigns to a premature conclusion.

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri will not be taking over at clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea, who have been criticised by some for throwing money in order to buy success, according to his close friend, Leeds United ownerMassimo Cellino.

Chelsea versus Arsenal is always one of the most heated games in the Premier League. The London derby is no stranger to tempers flaring and, in many ways, it’s what fans have come to expect. They want to see their teams put everything on the line to secure the win. They want to see hard challenges - with a card or two being inevitable.

Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck has sent a title warning to the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City.

He says that the club’s end of season form is a strong reminder that they will be competing for the league title from next season. Arsenal have won the title since the 2003-04 season. However, it is firmly believed that the club will be setting their sights on winning the league title after having achieved back-to-back FA Cup successes. Welbeck just completed his first season at Arsenal after his £ 16 million move from Manchester United.

A driving force behind two Premier League title successes and the provider of two match-winning performances at the business end of a triumphant FA Cup run in 2010/11, Yaya Toure has – as much as anyone – been the man to help Manchester City deliver on their potential.

Having more money than you know what to do with is all well and good, but it needs to be spent wisely and in the right areas in order for a cohesive unit to be formed and for tangible rewards to be secured.

Luis Suarez was always going to be a hard man to replace, but few would have thought that Mario Balotelli would fail so spectacularly in this job.

The Italian international was signed as a replacement for Suarez, who was sold to Barcelona for £ 75 million. Balotelli is no stranger to English football and hence he was expected to start scoring goals from the word go. This, however, has not happened as the former AC Milan forward has struggled immensely in front of goal. His style of football has not suited Liverpool and this has seen him score only one league goal this season.