Following a season that had seen Liverpool god painfully close to ending their league title drought, 2014-15 was a disappointing campaign for Brendan Rodgers and everybody connected with the club.
Without the services of Barcelona-bound Luis Suarez, the Reds exited the Champions League at the group stage and then failed to qualify for the competition this time around by finishing in sixth spot.
Nevertheless, the owners have backed Rodgers in the transfer market this summer and with that in mind, the overriding feeling is that there can be no excuses this time around. So, can Liverpool return to the top four? Here, Sports Mole assesses their chances.
In
James Milner (Manchester City, Danny Ings (Burnley), Adam Bogdan (Bolton Wanderers), Joe Gomez (Charlton Athletic), Roberto Firmino (Hoffenheim), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton), Christian Benteke (Aston Villa)
Out
Steven Gerrard (Los Angeles Galaxy), Glen Johnson (Stoke City), Brad Jones (Released), Sebastian Coates (Sunderland), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Andre Wisdom (Norwich City), Rickie Lambert (West Bromwich Albion)
Last season - 6th
Manager - Brendan Rodgers
Few managers will head into this campaign with more pressure on their shoulders than Rodgers. Almost £200m has been spent on new players over the last two summers and the media, owners and supporters alike will be expecting a decent return, both in terms of performances on the pitch and points on the board.
There are those that claim that Rodgers got lucky in 2013-14 to have a player of the ilk of Suarez, who bailed the Merseysiders out on many occasions during their ultimately unsuccessful charge towards the title. But it should not be ignored that while last term was not one to remember, a switch in formation from Rodgers saw the team go on a 13-match unbeaten run, during which time eight clean sheets were kept. Within the game Rodgers is considered to be a decent tactician, but he must now prove it - his job could well depend on it.
Key Player - Philippe Coutinho
Costing just £8.5m from Inter Milan in the winter of 2013, the Brazilian has gone on to become one of best attacking midfielders in the division. Five goals and a number of assists earned the 23-year-old a place in what was a Chelsea-dominated PFA Team of the Year and also saw him recalled to the Brazil squad.
To take things to the next level, he must now be looking to at least double his goal tally from last season. Not only that, but the way that he links up with new signings Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke is also bound to have a big say on how Liverpool fare. From Liverpool's point of view, the one worry would be that if he does continue to progress at his current rate, he could soon be heading for the exit door like Suarez and Raheem Sterling before him.
Possible starting lineup
Mignolet; Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno; Milner, Henderson, Can, Firmino, Coutinho; Benteke
First game: Stoke City (A), Full fixture list
Sports Mole says
While Steven Gerrard was no longer the force that he once was, he was still the club's leading goalscorer last season. Even so, his position in the heart of the midfield can be covered, but it's his leadership qualities and presence in the dressing room that will be sorely missed. With that in mind, it's going to be down to the likes of Jordan Henderson and James Milner to lead by example.
That will be particularly vital during the opening few weeks, with Liverpool having some tough away games. By mid-November, they will have travelled to Stoke City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester City. If they can come through that sequence of fixtures with a decent return of points, things will be looking positive. Overall, while the new signings should improve fortunes, fourth place still looks to be beyond Rodgers and his men.
