Club football returned to England last weekend as the Premier League season kicked-off and it afforded fans the opportunity to finally concentrate on the trials and tribulations of their beloved local team, instead of the national side. Some were left disappointed, as the realisation of their teams abilities was refreshed, some were overjoyed and some just got a little bit over excited by the occasion.

A headline holds the key to a story, as it possesses the ability to grab the reader and entice them into having a look at the article it’s attached to.

Often overlooked in favour of the actual meat of the story, the headline can be witty, humorous, informative, or even just plain stupid, as it attempts to lure the reader’s eyes towards the body of text.

Memorable headlines, such as my favourite pictured above, remain lodged in the brain and no matter how daft, a good headline will always convey the crucial element of the story, as the above does wonderfully.

The protracted competition to buy Liverpool is reaching the final stages, as a preferred bidder will be elected by the end of next week and it has emerged that the club could be welcoming a new red army to Anfield.

The Chinese government fund represented by Kenny Huang is thought to be leading the race to secure the purchase of the club as the investment group have spent the past fortnight raising the exact money to match the asking price.

The China Investment Corporation has sold $558m of shares in Morgan Stanley (£351.4m of the queen’s sterling,) which amounts to the clubs debts and is thought to be the precise price that has been quoted to interested parties.

Liverpool’s’ search for a new manager has at last been finalised and former Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has been given the job.

He arrives at Anfield in a time of delicate transition and his appointment represents a change in the priorities of Liverpool, as after a difficult and extremely frustrating season on and off the pitch, they look to stabilise their position in the league and also their dire financial situation.

With mounting debts that currently top £351m according to the BBC and on the back of a season in which they finished seventh in the league and failed to win any domestic or European silverware, Hodgson has been brought in to do what he does best and that’s polish turds.

The run-up to any major competition can be tiresome.

Players, staff and fans alike patiently wait for the arrival of the World Cup, but are forced to make do with players in suits standing on the steps of planes in the mean time, whilst all things domestic are seemingly put on hold.

Thank goodness for Liverpool then, as even when you think they’ve enjoyed enough drama for one season they decide to squeeze in a little bit more and push Rafa Benitez out the door with six million quid in his pocket.

Having lost at Wigan on Monday night, Liverpool have confirmed beyond a doubt that at best this has been a troubling season for them and in particular Rafa Benitez, whose position has come under increased scrutiny as a result of his sides poor form.

An early exit from the European Big Cup and a total of nine league defeats this season has left Liverpool adrift of the leading pack, having played three more games than rivals Villa, which has piled the pressure on the Gaffa.

In many similar circumstances to this where a manager has underperformed at a club with grand expectations, he’s been shown the door in the hope of saving the season or at least some local pride, but will Rafa suffer the same fate?

Smiling through gritted teeth and forcing an unconvincingly contented smile, reminiscent of Tony Blair’s during the Iraq war; Jamie Carragher looks to be a man who’s had his heart and soul ripped out by Liverpool’s horrendous start to this season.

Before Tuesdays clash with Depression in the big boys European League he attempted to put a gloss on the turd of the season that he has found himself buried in.

In a vain attempt to add a shine to a dark and gloomy couple of months the defender fibs that winning the Europa League would “put a different gloss” on a so far disappointing season, despite the fact that it would actually be a great smear on their season and be the signifier of their lack of success in the big boys competitions.

Anfield has rarely been a place of good fortune for Aston Villa, so ahead of the tie on Monday; I was in a mood dominated by hope more than belief that we could get a result.

A draw would have sufficed, especially after a poor opening day performance against Wigan and defeat against the powerhouse of European football Rapid Vienna, but an unexpected 3-1 win is rarer than an energetic and assured away performance in which we subdue the home side into a comprehensive defeat.

Many Liverpool fans will point to the absence of Xabi Alonso as a reason, or even an excuse for their poor performance, but his replacement in midfield Lucas, is a player of great danger when he pops up in the box and he showed this by latching onto a hopeful free-kick and expertly guiding the ball inside Pepe Reina’s near post in the 34th minute to give Villa the lead.

Searching for success can be arduous, if at first you don’t succeed you attention can be drawn away from the prize you had originally set you sights on.

Take Ryan Babel for example. After signing for Liverpool in 2007 from Ajax, big things were expected of him and Liverpool, as the Merseysiders looked to win their first league title since 1990, but unfortunately for both of them, they are still waiting.

Distracted and disillusioned by his failure to shine at Anfield and help bring home the league title, he seems to have taken his eye of the ball and decided that his best route to success is as a rapper.

Where’s the referee in this picture? Where’s the ball? Is a headlock a legitimate tackle?