Liverpool’s unenviable search for Jurgen Klopp’s replacement is still in its infancy but there has been no shortage of potential successors touted both publicly and privately.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso, a former Reds midfielder, continues to lead the bookmakers’ odds, followed by Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi and Sporting’s Ruben Amorim.
However, as they did with the appointment of Klopp in 2015, the club will take a scientific approach and not just go for the man who appears to be the best fit.
Here, the PA news agency looks at how Liverpool will go about their search.
Where do they start?
Where Fenway Sports Group always start, with the data. Since buying the club in 2010 the American owners have instigated an analytical model for many aspects of the business, most notably in relation to their transfer policy which they modelled on a system pioneered by their Boston Red Sox baseball team. “The way we operate as a football club is to ensure that we’ve looked at all the information, all the data, we’ve done our proper due diligence and then we’ll make a decision,” said chief executive Billy Hogan.
How will that work?
Will Spearman, a Harvard PhD graduate in particle physics, was last year appointed successor to departing director of research Ian Gordon, a key figure in the data department since 2012, and will be significantly involved in identifying key areas which are not always immediately visible to casual observers of a manager’s style and performance.
Who else is involved?
Mike Gordon, FSG president, is the group’s main ‘football guy’ and the man who has been the transatlantic bridge between the two parties. It was he who received the bombshell phone call from Klopp saying he would be leaving at the end of the season. Gordon was the man who led the identification and pursuit of Klopp after Brendan Rodgers was sacked and will assume that key role for the ownership again. Theo Epstein, the former president of baseball operations for MLB team the Chicago Cubs and ex-general manager of the Red Sox, has joined FSG as a senior adviser and is likely to be involved in the consultation, as will Hogan to a lesser degree.
And what of the main candidates?
Alonso has been the favourite from the moment Klopp’s departure was announced. The former Spain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder has extensive, top-level playing experience and this season has displayed a key FSG metric in elevating underrated players to a higher level having guided Leverkusen, unbeaten all season, to the top of the Bundesliga. His football is not as direct or as press-heavy as Klopp’s so there would be some adaptation required by the current squad. Brighton’s De Zerbi has impressed since his arrival in England last season and his place on the list is largely due to the similarities in his style with Klopp’s, however results have been up and down recently having scored four in a victory over Tottenham yet lost 4-0 to Luton. Amorim’s Sporting, who also have a similar pressing style, are two points off the top of the Portuguese Primeira Liga with a match in hand having dropped just eight points all season.
Frank praises Brentford's pressing, sees no tactical revamp with Toney departure
Thomas Frank heaped praise on Brentford's pressing following their 3-1 victory over Southampton on Saturday.
Bryan Mbeumo scored twice from Brentford's forwards forcing the Southampton backline into errors as the Bees earned their second Premier League win of the season.
This did not go unnoticed by Frank, who believes his side rank as one of the best in the league when it comes to that specific aspect.
He told BBC Sport: "They made errors because we pressed them unbelievably well. I think we are one of the best teams to do the high pressure in the Premier League.
"The players are so committed and that is the reason why we capitalised on errors from Southampton.”
Despite the departure of Ivan Toney to Al-Ahli, Frank does not think their style of play will have to be restructured too much, with both Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa enjoying productive starts to the season in his absence.
Frank said: “Ivan is a fantastic player, I'd love to have him in the team but he has his own journey and is going elsewhere.
"Our style of play hasn't changed. Wissa and Ivan are different players but the style doesn't change.”
Southampton boss Russell Martin was frustrated with his side’s mistakes at crucial moments, believing their performance was far better than the scoreline suggested.
He said to the BBC: “We made two mistakes that we were punished for, which is frustrating and disappointing.
"I saw lots of good things to feel positive about. I feel a lot better this week than I did after the Nottingham Forest game.”
Guardiola has 'no words' for hat-trick hero Haaland
Pep Guardiola was lost for words to describe Erling Haaland after his eighth Premier League hat-trick fired Manchester City to a 3-1 victory over West Ham.
Having scored a treble to help City claim a 4-1 win over Ipswich Town on matchday two, Haaland did likewise on Saturday to keep them perfect as they edged out the Hammers at the London Stadium.
Haaland's seven goals this season are the most any player has ever netted in the first three matches of a Premier League campaign, while only Sergio Aguero (12), Alan Shearer (11) and Robbie Fowler (nine) have ever helped themselves to more match balls in the competition.
Across English football's top four tiers, he is also the first player to score two hat-tricks in a team's first three games of a league season since Bradford City's Paul Jewell in 1994-95.
The Norwegian has now scored more than once in 26% of his Premier League matches (18/69, eight hat-tricks, 10 braces), leaving Guardiola in disbelief.
"There are no words for him," Guardiola told BBC Sport.
"All we can do is make him play better and better and give him as many balls as possible into the box. It's what we have to do. We are there and we added quality.
"This is a team. When you have to run backward, no one asks who has to do it. Everyone has to. When we see Erling doing that, it is fantastic."
Haaland himself, meanwhile, believes having an extended pre-season due to Norway missing out on Euro 2024 has helped him start the season in peak condition.
"I feel good. I feel energised. I had a long vacation and a long pre-season. I'm feeling good," Haaland told City's website.
"The years here have gone quick and it's been going like, 'bam bam bam', now I have a little bit of rest in my body and my feet. I feel really good now and I'm ready for more.
"I feel more refreshed and more energised. So when you do that you can practice on things you want to become better at in training. I feel good. I want to become better. I'm happy."
City sit top of the early-season table with nine points from nine available and saw last season's runners-up Arsenal slip up on Saturday, drawing 1-1 with Brighton and Hove Albion.
Haaland, though, feels it is too early to think about the title race, adding: "They [City's rivals] haven't slipped up yet. Three games, nine points. This is a great start.
"But let's not think too far ahead, because there’s potentially 70 games left this season. Let's breathe a bit and take it game by game."
Lopetegui rues missed opportunity as West Ham lose to Man City
West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui was not encouraged by the performance of his team despite losing 3-1 at home to Manchester City in their third league game.
“It is true that City is one of the best teams around the world for sure… but it is also true too that in the second half we have been very close to a draw,” he said speaking to BBC Match of the Day.
“I think we have played one very good second half. The start has been very good for us too.”
West Ham threatened for extended periods of the match and had chances to level the match at 2-1 down, with the best coming from Mohammed Kudus as he smashed a shot against the bar in the second half.
They also started the game brightly before going a goal down inside 10 minutes.
“In my mind we started very well, being aggressive,” said Lopetegui.
“We know in this plan normally they have initiative, it’s very difficult to not concede initiative then. That’s why you have to do a lot of very good things to overcome them.
“In the second half we had chances, I think we kept the ball much more, much more, and didn't concede a lot of chances."
But the hosts were ultimately undone by the brilliant finishing of Erling Haaland, who scored his second hat-trick in as many matches.
“He is one of the best players in the world, that's why he plays for Manchester City,” he said.
“You have to compete with these kind of players. City has the power and the quality to create chances.”
But ultimately, he was left frustrated at the sense of a missed opportunity and that his team were unable to earn themselves a draw that hadn’t seemed implausible during the match.
“Today I think the first goal was a pity for us but I’ve said it. I was happy with the performance think we were able to draw but again they damage us,” he said.
“Against this kind of team, if you make a mistake they don’t forgive. This is the difference they have… A little mistake they punish you, they punish us.
“We have to improve, to know to compete against this kind of team to be close to perfection.
“Don't make mistakes, be calm, defend well… we have quality players too.”
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