Premier League 14/15: Team By Team Preview And Predictions

5. Liverpool

Last Season: 2nd Manager: Brendan Rodgers Opening Fixture: Southampton (h) Transfer Activity: Six players have left Liverpool either permanently or on loan this summer including Andre Wisdom, Conor Coady, Iago Aspas, Luis Alberto and Pepe Reina, but all transfer activity at Anfield in the last few months has been overshadowed by the departure of one man - Luis Suarez. Rickie Lambert (Southampton) has been brought in to fill the void left up front by the Uruguayan, but Brendan Rodgers will still be looking to bring in another striker with the deal for Loic Remy falling through, and Divock Origi, signed in July, being sent back on loan to Lille. Liverpool's spending has passed the £100million mark this summer with the arrival of Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana (both Southampton), Lazar Markovic (Benfica) and Emre Can (Bayer Leverkusen), Javier Manquillo (Atletico Madrid) has also signed on loan. Possible Starting XI: Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Flanagan; Gerrard, Henderson; Sterling, Coutinho, Lallana; Sturridge Key Player: Steven Gerrard Verdict: Liverpool's overall squad is stronger this season, there is no doubt about that. There are some critics of the £25million fee paid for Adam Lallana this summer but those critics forget just how good a player Lallana actually is. The Englishman often ran games single-handedly for Southampton last season and on his day he is sensational. That said, there is no getting away from the fact that the loss of Luis Suarez will hit Liverpool hard - he is irreplaceable. His clever movement, brilliant creativity and ability to make space for others made playing alongside him an easy job for the likes of Daniel Sturridge last season, it will be interesting to see how Sturridge fares without his strike partner this time around. Liverpool need to sign another forward to compensate for the loss of Suarez but whoever they bring, they may struggle to replicate the success of last season. Prediction: 5th