Liverpool will kick off the English Premier League tomorrow as they take on Stoke at Anfield. PHOTO: AFP
The 2013-14 English Premier League campaign begins today with a landscape that has changed immeasurably in the 91 days since last season.
Familiar faces like Alex Ferguson, Jamie Carragher, Paul Scholes and Michael Owen have moved on, with new managers and a raft of multi-million-pound signings hoping to plug the holes that they have left behind.
Heightening the sensation of new beginnings is the pioneering introduction of goal-line technology, with Hawk-Eye systems now in place at all 20 Premier League grounds.
The sense of unfamiliarity will be nowhere more apparent than at Swansea City’s Liberty Stadium, where champions Manchester United will play a league game with a manager other than Ferguson in the dug-out for the first time since November 1, 1986.
Former Everton manager David Moyes is the man charged with the weighty task of stepping into Ferguson’s shoes, and with games against Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City to follow in quick succession, he cannot afford a slow start.
“I think it’s the hardest start for 20 years that Manchester United have had,” Moyes complained to BBC Sport. “I hope it’s not because Manchester United won the league quite comfortably last year that the fixtures have been made much more difficult.”
The first few weeks of Moyes’ Old Trafford tenure have been dogged by speculation about the future of striker Wayne Rooney, whose fitness will be assessed prior to the game after he made his return from injury in England’s 3-2 friendly win over Scotland on Wednesday.
United’s two closest rivals from last season are also under new management, with Manuel Pellegrini replacing the sacked Roberto Mancini at Manchester City and Jose Mourinho returning to Chelsea to succeed Rafael Benitez.
City, who have spent an estimated £90 million on new players, do not begin their season until Monday, when they host Newcastle United, with Chelsea in action a day earlier when newly promoted Hull City are the visitors to Stamford Bridge.
New-look Liverpool take on Stoke
The new season kicks off at Anfield, where Liverpool come up against a Stoke City side with a new manager in Mark Hughes.
With unsettled striker Luis Suarez absent as he completes his 10-game ban for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic last season, Rodgers has been boosted by the news that Daniel Sturridge has overcome an ankle problem.
Liverpool have moved to reinforce their squad by agreeing a deal to sign French left-back Aly Cissokho on loan from Valencia, according to the UK media reports.
Sky Sports television reported yesterday that the Reds had agreed to sign Cissokho on an initial season-long loan from the Spanish club with a view to a permanent transfer next summer.
Sky Sports also reported that the Anfield club are in talks with Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala concerning the Brazilian international attacking midfielder Willian.
The 25-year-old only joined Anzhi from Shakhtar Donetsk in January but was put up for sale along with the club’s other high earners after billionaire owner Suleiman Kerimov recently decided to drastically cut the side’s budget and scale down their ambitions.
However, Liverpool can expect competition for the player’s signature, for whom Manchester City have reportedly previously shown an interest.
“There was the Manchester City bid that was turned down. Now I’m waiting for a new bid to arrive in the next days from a few clubs, like Liverpool,” Willian was quoted as saying on ESPN Brazil on Thursday. “If it’s really Liverpool, then it is surely a great club. I’m hopeful and very calm, just waiting for the best.
“England is my goal. I like the Premier League, I enjoy English football and certainly, if that happens, it will be very good for me and for my image.”
Today’s fixtures
Liverpool v Stoke
Arsenal v Aston Villa
Norwich v Everton
Sunderland v Fulham
West Brom v Soton
West Ham v Cardiff
Swansea v Man United
Published in The Express Tribune, August 17th, 2013.
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