Liverpool have made a made a topsy-turvy start to the season, with some good results thrown in with a 0-3 loss to West Ham.
However, they are still very much in the race for Champions League qualification, with rivals such as Arsenal and Manchester United also having a shaky first four games. Even with this, there have been doubts over their ability to get in to the top four.
Here is all the Liverpool news as they look to kick on after the international break…
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5) Mario Balotelli labelled too fat to play
Now on loan at AC Milan, the 25-year-old’s manager has told him that he needs to lose weight if he is going to play, reports the Daily Star.
“He’s not played for a while and he still has to improve,” said Sinis Mihaljovic, “He’s training well and his physical tests are satisfactory, but he’s three kilogrammes overweight: he’s on a diet and when he’s ready he will play.”
4) Mark Lawrenson claims club are poor man’s Arsenal
The Anfield hero believes that the Merseyside outfit don’t have enough width and fans are expecting to be let down at some point during the campaign, he said in his Liverpool Echo column.
“We are a poor man’s Arsenal at the moment, in that you know this Arsenal will always let you down eventually,” wrote Lawrenson, “You know deep down they won’t win the league because, somewhere along the line, they will disappoint and disappoint greatly. This Liverpool are the same.
“The West Ham defeat underlined a problem that already concerns me: a worrying lack of width. Other than Jordon Ibe, we have no real wide players.”
3) John Barnes defends team
However, another former player, John Barnes, has defended Brendan Rodgers’ side from criticism from Harry Redknapp, reports the Daily Star.
“Some of Harry’s points are valid but in terms of this team being the worst Liverpool side ever – I really don’t think that is the case,” said Barnes, “We’re a very hard-working side, we are a physical side, we can outrun teams and are strong. Defensively we haven’t conceded many goals, apart from against West Ham.”
2) Christian Benteke enlists ‘mind-guru’
Benteke has turned to mind guru Michel Bruyninckx to help him adapt to the different style of play at Anfield, reports the Daily Mirror.
The coach helped the Belgian early in his career as well, and mentioned: “One day, he gave me a call and said, ‘Can I have some additional sessions.’
“When he was a boy in Belgium, he changed regularly from one club to another, because he only had one profile — as a physically strong player. I tried to encourage him then to expand his mind to see that he must not accept those labels and that he could continuously change his skills, and the way he learned to think has been enormously important to his career.
“I hear people say he is not a Liverpool type of player, but I tell you that he can adapt to any club.”
1) Star points to tough upbringing for ability
Nathaniel Clyne believes that playing football in concrete pens as a youngster has made him the player he is today, reports the Daily Mirror.
“I learned to play football at my local club,” said Clyne, “Steadman Scott, that was my local club. I started playing for them after annoying my older brother to let me join in.
“But it was the games in the pens on the Studley Estate in Stockwell that made me —toughened me up enough to be who I am today. The pitches were made of concrete. Any trainers would do. If you made a sliding tackle, you would graze your knees. I was just having fun with my friends, but most of the boys were older than me, so it was tough.
“I was head and shoulders above them! But they didn’t like me on the ball, so I was fouled all the time. Those games made me streetwise. They helped me to develop my skills. We would play until it got dark and when I got home my mum would have to reheat my food. I didn’t mind. I had the bug. I always had a ball with me.”