Is this David Moyes’ first great conquest? To retain Wayne Rooney and prove that he can change the inconsistent ways of the striker? As the new manager spoke out once again that the England international is going nowhere, you have to wonder whether he’s openly revealing the behind-the-scenes plot or whether he’s trying to convince himself.

Rooney, however, seems beyond convincing. The striker has reportedly already told his Manchester United teammates that he’s leaving for Chelsea, while it seems no bridge is big enough to cover the water of this failing/failed relationship between player and manager.

Moyes’ intentions were already misconstrued, though in the right context, you can understand why he’d want to retain Rooney. United are huge club, and it will take more than the retirement of Alex Ferguson to take that away. But the lack of options (or the growing number of options for players around Europe) means United will really have to pull their weight to get what they need in terms of replacements. Wayne Rooney relieving a free-scoring Robin van Persie at various stages of the season is a lot better than blindly going into the night, but you really do get the sense, as tedious as it is, that this saga is a lost cause for Moyes.

Rooney is clearly bored with life at Old Trafford. There aren’t any direct quotes, but we don’t really need any, do we? A new challenge will offer the injection of life that the player needs, ridding him of the tag of “the other guy,” regardless of how good he can be. At Chelsea, Rooney will force the other two or three strikers to take a back seat in the way he did following van Persie’s arrival at Old Trafford last summer.

Jose Mourinho has already stoked the fires by bringing up the issue of the World Cup. Such is England’s lack of options that Rooney, if fit, would get selected no matter what his status is at club level. From a personal point of view, a reinvigorated Rooney could lead the way for his first major showing at a World Cup Finals in his career. Good for player, good for England.

And then you have to ask what is left for Rooney at Manchester United. Titles have been won, from domestic trophies to the European Cup. There is obvious friction between the striker and his teammates, with some said to be unhappy over his actions and no-show of this preseason. It’s not beyond repair, but what’s the point?

It’s the same case with a couple of other Premier League clubs; why keep an unhappy player. Is there a point to prove? Yeah, sure. But how does it benefit you in the long run?

Moyes and Manchester United have been shockingly quiet in the market this summer. Maybe there’s a major signing being put together behind the scenes. I doubt it. With Rooney on board into next season, United sort of have an excuse for their lack of business, if they fail to make any signings, of course. It’s a safety net in more ways than one, but such is the player’s confidence of getting his move, coupled with Chelsea apparently looking no further than Rooney, possibly highlighting their own confidence in the matter, that Moyes and United should just move on and do what they can with the transfer funds over the remaining three weeks.

Should Moyes continue to fight the Rooney transfer saga, or just call it a day?

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Manchester United Football Club is enduring a testing and win less time that is strange and alien to them. They are now further adrift of the top of the league than they were ahead at the end of last season, and have gone four games without victory. Poor David Moyes is sure to have understood the scope of his challenge at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson left him with an aged squad short of quality midfielders.

The current state of things have naturally lead people to doubt Man United will even qualify for the Champions League. Moyes offered some explanation on Saturday, saying his side is in transitional period. There’s little doubt there are issues to address at Old Trafford, and I believe things will get worse before they get better. The mighty United might be looking at one or two trophyless seasons before they reassemble their strike force, something I think most fans are bracing themselves for. Former United manager Ron Atkinson, however, thinks that’s not an option.

Fergie’s predecessor has rubbished Moyes’s excuse that the team is going through a transition, saying that he can’t afford that as Manchester United manager. Atkinson even stated that the minimum requirement every season is a Champions League spot – something I think we all can agree on – and a trophy, the latter of which seems unfair on Moyes, as Fergie had the odd trophyless season himself.

But at the centre of Atkinson’s argument, we find his claims that Man United cannot afford to go through a transitional phase. Real Madrid and Barcelona never go through transitions, why should United?

Now, for the sake of the argument I’m going to pretend Barcelona didn’t go six years without winning a trophy between 1999 and 2005, because it seems like Mr Atkinson has chosen a similar approach.

Although United should consider themselves on level with Barca and Real Madrid in terms of international influence and size, it is near impossible to ever compete with the Spanish club’s pulling power. Especially in recent years the two clubs have displayed their merit by attracting the biggest names away from the Premier League.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale’s departures to the Spanish capital illustrates the prestige Real Madrid enjoy around the globe. Manchester United themselves have struggled to attract big name-signings ahead of the the south European giants before. It seems that few clubs can really challenge them. As an example, United were in a prime position to sign Alexis Sanchez in 2011. The deal was all but done, until Barca hijacked the deal at the last second. Alexis barely blinked, his choice was that easy. The same thing that happened with Ronaldinho in 2003.

Man United doesn’t even boast superior pulling power over fellow English clubs. The likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and arguably Liverpool will all compete on level ground in the transfer market. Despite their massive dominance the last twenty years, the Red Devils will probably never enjoy the infamous stature of the two Spanish teams.

And now back to the point about Moyes not being allowed to go through a transition. Most Man United fans are clever enough to accept that the period immediately succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson – the man who took the team from mediocrity to immensity, built  a new club virtually with his bare hands and established reign of power that spanned  across three decades – might prove to be slightly less fruitful. The fact that the entire entire back room staff is replaced as well will only further prolong the process.

Even Fergie himself experienced a transition in the mid 00’s. After three seasons without a trophy between 2004 and 2007, Ronaldo and Rooney suddenly released their ability upon the world. The reward for having patience with Ferguson back then was four league titles and a Champions League win.

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Manchester United are in the middle of a transitional period. The board knows it, David Moyes knows it and the fans know it. As with every transition, it will be unpredictable, and things might seem worse at times than they actually are.

No Ron, Manchester United have no choice but to endure the transition. We will just all have to be patient.

Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre has revealed the club will consider extending the contract of controversial striker Luis Suarez at the end of the season, according to the Daily Mail. 

The Uruguayan forward publicly tried to engineer a move away from Anfield during the summer, and was the subject of two official bids from Premier League rivals Arsenal.

Spanish giants Real Madrid were also rumoured to be interested, and some reports have suggested they may attempt to lure the forward to the Bernabeu in January.

However Liverpool have remained adamant Suarez will be staying at Anfield, and the forward has looked in impressive form since returning from his 10-match ban.

Suarez has scored three goals in three matches since his return, and helped Liverpool to second place in the table – where they are only behind Arsenal on goals scored.

When questioned on whether the Uruguayan would be offered a new contract, Ayre replied: “It’s too early to say that. We deal with every player in the same way. We review all our contracts with two years to go.”

Suarez only signed a new deal at Anfield in the summer of 2012, which was bound to keep him at the club until 2016.

But last summer he claimed a lack of Champions League football meant he wanted to leave Anfield, and a summer long transfer saga ensued.

However Ayre insists all has been forgiven and the Reds are delighted with the form of their number 7.

“Anfield never fell out of love with Luis Suarez,” he added.

“He is at his best when he is playing football and scoring goals. His record speaks for itself.

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“He is a very talented individual who shows fantastic commitment every time he pulls on a Liverpool shirt. I’m not surprised he is back firing on all cylinders.”

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For many the distinction between genius and insanity is quite a small one; and no one person epitomises this more in football than Liverpool’s very own Luis Suarez. People may well try to understand the inner workings of the enigmatic Uruguayan, but I doubt even the player himself would do his thought patterns justice.

Suarez portrays himself as a shy and retiring character, but with the hint of the devil inside him. We’ve seen this aspect of the forward before; twice banned for biting as well a racially aggravated fracas with United’s Patrice Evra.

I’m not for one moment defending Suarez, but for me some of these vices are central to him being the footballer he is. Of course in an ideal world Suarez would be a role model to the next generation in all aspects of his conduct; he couldn’t be further from that at the moment. But for me his dark side is all part and parcel of him, you cannot unfortunately have one without the other.

In a rare interview with French TV Suarez did his best to lift the lid on his personal side:

“I think that I am someone who is shy, really – I know how I am off the pitch in my everyday life, and I’m more of an angel with a little bit of the demon,” he said.

“It is very difficult for me to have this image because of who I really am. But I have learned about my behaviour, and today, you have to know I am someone very timid and for that I am very careful what I say.”

I think some would be a little surprised that Suarez views himself as being a timid character; on the pitch he exudes confidence and is more often than not at the centre of things. You don’t net 24 league goals in just 23 appearances if you are shy and retiring.

When Suarez walks onto that pitch he is a different beast, the devil in side him comes to the fore. Suarez may well be timid in his personal life, but the same just cannot be said of his footballing exploits.

Biting, diving and racist abuse are things we can do without in football; but a bit of passion doesn’t go amiss. Suarez realises this distinction and is supposedly working on it, trying to temper this inner devil and making it compatible with the world of Premier League football. Liverpool don’t want to lose the attitude that makes him so special, I think they just want it managed.

Suarez finally seems at home in England, and even questions about a move to France couldn’t dissuade the Uruguayan from his principal aims:

“Being able to play a Champions League match at Anfield, that would be incredible, something unforgettable,” he explained.

“I would really like to live this experience. Today with my club the main aim is to qualify for the Champions League.”

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Whether you love him or hate him you cannot doubt Suarez’s abilities. The very best always play on the edge, trying their best to gain that inch and push themselves to the very limits of their capabilities. Suarez typifies this, and most that admire his footballing talents wouldn’t want to do too much to harm it.

No need to tame the devil.

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Arsenal played football on Monday night. A simplistic, banal statement, but one with effect. Arsene Wenger isn’t a manager known for his chess-like mentality and drive to outfox his opposite number. His teams play football, in the purest sense.

Arsenal’s 3-0 win against Newcastle at the Emirates offers some insight as to what could have been this season. The team need surgery; without question they need a centre-forward. But for all the talk of a mid-to-late season implosion, Arsenal are still only seven points off first-placed Liverpool. Wenger’s side have fallen, but they’ve fallen in the absence of three crucial players, three players who need one another to function properly and get this Arsenal team going.

Mesut Ozil looked liberated against Newcastle, as if the six weeks off had done him a world of good. For the first time in the German’s career, he’d gone without a winter break. Ozil’s ability as a player was targeted after the turn of the year when the real culprit is actually the congested fixture schedule. There was little remorse and acceptance that £42 million goes no way to strengthening the body of a player who is used to a mid-season break.

But on Monday night, Ozil was spectacular. His goal and assist were punctuated by wonderful showings of individual class. Yes, players like Ozil are bought to turn teams into title challengers and subsequent winners, but they’re also bought for the pleasure of fans, a showcase of the brilliance of a footballer.

Arsenal look destined for fourth place now, even if Everton win on the weekend against Manchester City, it will be nothing more than a delay of the inevitable. But that’s part of the problem. An FA Cup, provided Arsenal beat Hull in the final, will not mask that fact that this team have much more to offer.

Arsene Wenger showed great restraint over the past two transfer windows in avoiding the vast financial resources available to him. Ozil arrived for a record-breaking fee, but Gonzalo Higuain should have been in tow, as well as a central midfielder, not a couple of freebies in Yaya Sanogo and Mathieu Flamini.

Arsenal have generally had little problem in dispatching the weaker teams in the league this season.

The problem has been in transferring that confidence and ability to a higher level. Arsenal will always have injuries. The issues faced at the club are unlikely to be eradicated under Wenger – a sharp criticism of his handling of injuries since the move to the Emirates. But the manager can ensure that convincing wins aren’t just limited to games against the likes of Newcastle.

Arsenal need investment. The opportunity is there to get more out of this team. As well as building confidence and enhancing the club’s reputation, investment in higher quality means periods of rest for the team’s key players.

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There was a freshness about Arsenal’s play on Monday night, something that can only be offered by the involvement of players who are mentally and physically rested. Olivier Giroud has been worn down throughout this season, appearing in the majority of the team’s games, but he looked energised against Newcastle, willing to work, never down on past misses in front of goal. He worked because the sharpness offered by Ozil and Ramsey gave him the impetus to do so. He was rewarded with the third goal.

As was the case in Arsenal’s 4-0 win away to Hull, the win against Newcastle offered a reminder as to what this team are capable of. This team aren’t the finished article yet, but investment, wise investment built on careful planning and speed of execution, will see Arsenal closer to the top next season than they currently are.

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Wayne Rooney is a walking, breathing and kicking football conundrum.

No one can doubt the Manchester United star’s pedigree – five Premier League titles, a Champions League title and a career return of 173 goals and 89 assists in 374 league appearances speaks for itself. Add an insatiable work-rate and baby-elephant-like charm into the equation, and many – but not all – will argue that you have a world-class player.

But what is Wayne Rooney? How can one best define him? Is he a striker? Is he an attacking midfielder? Is he a number ten? Is he a false-nine? Some even believe, including Sir Alex Ferguson, the 28 year-old’s best position could in fact be central midfield.

That is the nutshell of the debate surrounding Wayne Rooney. Although a world-class talent with a world-class CV, perhaps a victim of his own versatility and selflessness, he is not a world-class anything. His finishing is too inconsistent to be a world-class striker,  his frame too stocky to be considered a permanent option out wide, his attention to detail too corruptible to be considered a genuine number ten of a worldly standard, his short passing too inaccurate to be trusted in a deeper midfield role at football’s highest level.

WANT MORE? >> Man United transfer news | Latest transfer news

Evidence of this was prevalent against Uruguay yesterday evening. Just consider the contrasting fortunes of Rooney and Luis Suarez over the course of the 90 minutes.

Not that the England international was particularly poor – rather, one goal, two more good opportunities to score, three successful dribbles and two key passes suggests he was England’s best player in the 2-1 defeat, especially considering the abject performances of Steven Gerrard and Phil Jagielka to name a few.

Yet the Uruguay star fared significantly better – the difference being that his two shots on target in the entire match resulted in two goals. Suarez has always possessed that seemingly divine clinical streak that’s shared by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – not only in terms of his shooting but throughout his all-round game – Rooney however, does not.

He failed to take the opportunity of a hat-trick against Los Charruas, with his header ringing against the bar and his attempt to convert a Leighton Baines cross safely falling into Fernando Muslera’s hands, and let an equally fruitful chance, within the parameters of the box and Salvatore Sirigu at his mercy, wizz past the near post against Italy.

With that in mind, is it time we accepted that Wayne Rooney simply isn’t good enough at the highest level of the game?

Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan of Wayne Rooney. The 28 year-old must be a manager’s dream – an endless work-rate, the ability to pull off the sublime, a positional flexibility spawned out of his exceptional attitude and team spirit. Over the course of 90 minutes, there is no doubt that Rooney contributes positively with remarkable consistency.

When he’s struggling to produce on the ball, he’s makes up for it with energy and defensive commitment, and vice versa; the England international always finds some way to favourably influence the match. That showed last night, when Rooney persevered until the 76th minute to find his first ever World Cup goal.

WANT MORE? >> Man United transfer news | Latest transfer news

But football is not a zero-plus-one-sum game. That is to say, it’s not simply a logical case of putting in more than you take away to assure success or victory. Football is about moments, and whilst Suarez embraced two yesterday evening, as he did for Liverpool on endless occasions last season, Rooney failed to do the same.

I’m not referring to goal-scoring ability alone. After all, Rooney was on the pitch to create as much as he was to find the net last night. But that in itself is an equally disturbing concern – moved into the limelight of a central position after having a limited impact out wide against Italy, the England international, although impressive in spells, lacked invention and ruthlessness.  It’s incredibly telling that despite England boasting 61% possession, the Manchester United forward created just two opportunities for his team-mates to score.

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Perhaps in another England team, perhaps against different opponents, perhaps on a different night, perhaps at the end of a less disappointing domestic season, Rooney could have propelled England to glory last night with a hat-trick. But the 28 year-old has never been the talisman his country desperately needs. He’s never been the man who delivers when the Three Lions find themselves in a now-or-never situation.

When you look at Luis Suarez’ role in Uruguay’s win, or Robin van Persie’s for the Netherlands against Spain, or Didier Drogba’s for the Ivory Coast against Japan, or even Lionel Messi’s for Argentina against Bosnia, there is a notable, worrying difference.

Perhaps it’s time we all accept that in comparison to other players labelled world-class, Rooney just isn’t quite the same calibre.

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Early season struggles are usually to be expected for a newly promoted team, especially one which has made the significant transition from Championship to Premier League football.

Although Leicester City have surprised many with their promising start – their magnificent 5-3 victory over Manchester United being the highlight so far – Burnley have understandably had a tough time due to a glaring lack of quality in the squad and currently find themselves at the bottom of the table, a position which many believe they will occupy when the last ball is kiced in May. Leicester’s success aside, the expectancy is for teams that have climbed out of the second flight and into the promised land of the Premier League to discover that life in the top division is not as rosy as once imagined, and in this regard Burnley – as well as Queens Park Rangers, who joined the Clarets and Leicester in promotion from the Championship last season – are following the script.

However, there is a vast difference in the chances of Burnley and Queens Park Rangers of survival. Whilst relegation is the expectancy at Turf Moor, and it would be no shame if the Clarets did go down again, such a fate would be unacceptable for the R’s given their financial superiority over not only Burnley, but over a number of other established Premier League sides as well. That Rangers are struggling is a damning indictment of the current situation at the club, and indeed the way that it has been for a while.

News that the club could be banished to the Conference in the event of relegation from the Premier League if they fail to pay a hefty £40million fine incurred under financial fair play rules highlights the vast amounts of money that have been invested into the club since Tony Fernandes became the owner in 2011. Though Fernandes is an affable individual who genuinely cares for the club and who is respected by the fanbase – a rare breed of owner, no doubt – his naivety since taking over has perhaps been his one sin, and is something which he himself has acknowledged, stating in an interview following Rangers’ relegation from the Premier League two seasons ago that he felt that he had been exploited.

It isn’t exactly hard to see why Fernandes held this view. A calamitous season which ended inevitably in relegation is what Rangers had to show for his £50million investment, and although they have since bounced back at the first time of asking to regain their place in the Premier League, Fernandes has persisted in ploughing money into the club – a staggering 46 players have been signed since he became the owner three years ago.

In spite of Fernandes’ continued generosity, the initial signs for Rangers do not bode well. Their radical overhaul over the summer – which saw eleven players arrive and nine players leave – has echoes of their doomed expedition in the Premier League two seasons ago. A rapidly and expensively assembled squad lacking in cohesion was to blame then, and appears to be the cause of the R’s poor start now – seven of the team’s starting XI against both Stoke City and Southampton were new recruits over the summer, with Rangers amassing just one point from these two games. Such a significant remodelling of the team was always unlikely to yield immediate results, which is crucial in the Premier League.

To paraphrase Karl Marx, history repeats itself first as tragedy, then as farce, and this certainly appears to be the case at Loftus Road. By making the same mistakes as they did in their previous outing in the Premier League – namely a muddled, bloated transfer policy without a clear long-term philosophy – the R’s will receive no sympathy whatsoever should they get relegated again. For the money that the club has at its disposal, survival ought to be the minimum requirement, and in the eyes of clubs such as Burnley who can only dream of possessing Rangers’ wealth, relegation would see the London club get their just deserts.

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Ultimately, demotion to the Conference may not be such a disaster for Queens Park Rangers. Starting from scratch would serve as a humbling experience for a club which has tried to solve its problems, like too many clubs do in modern football, with money, money and more money.

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Manchester United are in a good position to push for the Premier League title after snapping up Radamel Falcao and Daley Blind, according to former strike star Dwight Yorke.

The Red Devils cemented their place as English football’s top spenders yesterday as they paid big to loan the Colombian forward and snap up the Dutchman from Ajax to add to their ranks.

Just a week before Angel di Maria’s £59.7m arrival smashed the British transfer record, while Ander Herrera and Marcos Rojo have also been snapped up for big money.

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Despite the success off of the pitch, United have endured a woeful start on the field, with just two points having been secured from winnable games against Swansea, Sunderland and Burnley.

But Yorke feels that the positivity at the Theatre of Dreams and the long-term vision of Louis van Gaal will bring success:

“With the team the manager is building, I believe it is good enough to go and win the Premier League.” He is quoted by The Express.

“They are playing catch-up at this moment and they need to start getting results now, but if they can do that the confidence will generate and when that builds up you’ve seen what they’ve done in the past.

“There is no doubt in my mind Manchester United could go on to win the league from here.

“I know a lot of people will be questioning that, saying the new players need time to bed in, but these players are world-class players, not just players trying to fit into the football club. These players are that good that it’s easy to fit into the system of Van Gaal.

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“The players Man United now have at their disposal will send alarm bells ringing in the Premier League.”

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Falcao and Blind in, title charge on…. Calm down

This Sunday’s Manchester derby at the Etihad stadium will be the 166th competitive meeting between City and United, and so far The Reds have secured 69 victories while The Blues have 46 and there have been 50 draws.

City are in desperate need of a win to keep on the shoulders of Chelsea, while a win for United would put them to within one point of City, making Louis Van Gaal’s boast they can still challenge for the Premier League not sound so fanciful.

It would certainly enhance United’s chances of securing a top four place at the end of the season thus achieving LVG’s major objective; regaining Champions League status.

To get you in the mood we now present to you a trawl back through the years at seven magnificent encounters between the Manchester rivals.

[ffc-gallery]Click on Louis Van Gaal to reveal

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@robshepherd5Pay a visit to www.BobbyFC.com – The football site with a retro twist

Manchester United 4 Manchester City 1, August 1957

Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, David Pegg, Liam Whelan, Duncan Edwards and Tommy Taylor would all feature for United – five months later all of them perished in the Munich air disaster. Goals from Edwards, Taylor, Johnny Berry and Dennis Viollet maintained United’s perfect start to the season in what was the last Manchester derby before the tragedy in Germany.

Manchester City 3-3 Manchester United, November 1971

Sheikh Mansour’s deep pockets have led to a return to the days of the early 70′s when the blues and the reds met as equals. United were top and City third when the latter came back from 2-0 and 3-2 down in front of over 63,000 and even won bragging rights at the end of the season, finishing four points ahead of the Old Trafford side (highlights below).

//www.youtube.com/embed/J_KgV5f55Qg

Manchester United 0-1 Manchester City, April 1974

If the 5-1 derby victory 15 years later was City’s zenith – until 2011, anyway – then this was United’s nadir. This result, after an ill-tempered affair, led to them to being ingloriously relegated at Old Trafford and their doom was confirmed when Denis Law – the former darling of the Stretford End – famously back-heeled them into the second tier (see below). Law, utterly heartbroken at what he had done, was substituted immediately after and never kicked a ball in league football again.

//www.youtube.com/embed/aXpF2v0Kgvk

Manchester City 5-1 Manchester United, September 1989

This was the first time in three years the great foes had met, and newly promoted City’s fans were at boiling point. After an enforced break due to crowd trouble the hosts ran riot, with David Oldfield scoring a brace and further goals from Trevor Morley and Ian Bishop, and City fan Andy Hinchcliffe capping a day still spoken of in hushed tones with a lovely fifth (goals are in below link). Sir Alex Ferguson used the pain of this defeat to best their nearest rivals for the next decade and more. The Maine Road Massacre, as it came to be known, would be the last time in 13 years City managed to win against United (their next was in 2002 when Nicolas Anelka and a Shaun Goater double won the game 3-1). Later that season Fergie won his first trophy…

//www.youtube.com/embed/W5ExLgxbKFA

Manchester United 5-0 Manchester City, November 1994

In the 1990s City failed to chalk up a single win against United, and this thrashing perfectly illustrated the gulf in class between the pair. Andrei Kanchelskis and the magnificent Eric Cantona starred on this occasion, with the Frenchman opening the scoring and the Ukrainian winger delivering the coup de grâce by scoring a hat-trick, which he completed in the final minute. Mark Hughes, who would go on to manage City eight years later, also found the target.

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Manchester United 1-1 Manchester City, April 2001

This game is remembered not for the goals but for the culmination of a long-standing feud between Roy Keane and Alf-Inge Haaland. It started in 1998 when the United captain suffered a cruciate ligament injury when chasing a through ball against Leeds, who the Norwegian Haaland was with at the time. Three years later Keane made an x-rated knee-high tackle on Haaland that would have made Graeme Souness blush.

He was sent-off and later admitted in his autobiography that it was a premeditated attempt to injure. He eventually received a £150,000 fine and a five-match ban as punishment.

Manchester City 4-1 Manchester United, 2004

It was almost 1989 relived again as United were convincingly humbled once more. A struggling City side somehow lifted themselves to rout the old enemy. United were not at their best but City had Jon Macken, veterans Trevor Sinclair and Robbie Fowler and the erratic Shaun Wright-Phillips – all of whom found the net – meaning this is still one of the most unlikely derby results on record.

Throughout his turbulent tenure as Liverpool boss, Brendan Rodgers has always shown a desire to experiment.

Last season, the Reds toyed with back fours, back threes and midfield diamonds as they marched to a surprise runners-up finish in the Premier League, and following a summer transfer window in which the Anfield gaffer called for ‘multipurpose signings’, they’ve gone on to test five different formations already this year. Unfortunately for Rodgers, none have resulted in a consistent winning formula.

Not that systems are where Rodgers’ philosophical tinkering ends; since he took the Anfield helm in 2012, we’ve seen Stewart Downing at full-back, Glen Johnson at centre-half, Steven Gerrard tossed between defensive midfield and No.10, Jordan Henderson utilised on the wing and Raheem Sterling called upon to fill in at virtually every position from wing-back to centre-forward.

Perhaps his most ambitious experiment yet came against Manchester United yesterday afternoon as the Reds lined up in a 3-4-3 for the first time this season, with goal-shy summer signings Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert dropped in favour of Sterling for the lone striker slot.

An unfamiliar position in an even less familiar system, is Raheem’s role up front simply an experiment too far from Brendan Rodgers?

On the face of it, the England international boasts many of the natural prerequisites for that role; pace, trickery, incisive movement and invention on the ball, and Sterling has demonstrated a unique adeptness to understanding new positions incredibly quickly throughout his Reds career. Last season for example, he proved equally effective in his few appearances at right wing-back, particularly during an intoxicating one-on-one battle with Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the FA Cup, as he did during his prolonged period at the tip of Liverpool’s midfield diamond.

Although there are certainly more eye-catching aspects to the 20-year-old’s game, his versatility and it’s accompanying intelligence is a huge asset for any manager – one could argue Brendan Rodgers is almost obliged to utilise it as much as possible. The Liverpool gaffer tested Sterling up front during the latter stages of a 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid and although he struggled to affect the scoreline, he certainly looked lively and relatively comfortable.

Yet, if there’s one integral attribute Sterling lacks as a striker, it’s ability and composure in front of goal. “He dribbled through the Spurs defence like Ricky Villa, but his finish was more like Ricky Gervais,” Brendan Rodgers quipped back in August after the young attacker dazzled his way past the Lilywhites only to tamely trickle the ball into Hugo Lloris’ hands, and that epitomises where Sterling’s game is at right now.

No doubt, the Liverpool star knows how to get on the score sheet, averaging one goal per five appearances throughout his short Premier League career, but not with the dependable efficiency of an out-and-out striker.

Rodgers’ temptation was understandable against the Red Devils. With Daniel Sturridge a permanent absentee through injury, Rickie Lambert struggling to transition his industriousness to potency from his Southampton days and Mario Balotelli yet to find his first Premier League goal since moving to Anfield in the summer, Sterling is Liverpool’s joint top scorer in the league this season with three goals.

Combining that with averages of 2.5 chances created and 3.1 successful dribbles per match, in addition to four assists in 16 outings, he’s been the Reds’ most potent attacking threat by quite some distance this year. So why not get him as close to the goal as possible? Especially against United’s ever-injured, ever-shaky back three.

But Sterling’s limited lethality really told at Old Trafford. Rodgers claimed the difference in the 3-0 affair was the form of goalkeeper David De Gea – one can easily flip that assessment on its head and argue the absence of a quality finisher severely reduced Liverpool’s capacity to score. Sterling had five shots at goal, equal to United’s Robin van Persie, but never came close to beating the Spaniard’s wiry frame.

And what did playing up front teach the youngster yesterday afternoon? Although capable in that role, it won’t be the ultimate position of his footballing peak – most likely No.10 – and put even further pressure to perform on worryingly young shoulders. Sterling’s already being asked to put in talismanic displays on a weekly basis for the struggling Merseysiders.

Perhaps last season it would have proved a successful ploy against the United – the kind that would lead to pundits and the press heralding Rodgers as a football genius. Yet, Alan Hansen once emphatically argued that periods of prosperity are the appropriate time to experiment and change things up. Bouts of poor results and eroding confidence, on the other hand, are not, regardless of how counter-intuitive that may seem.

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Combating their own issues of recent weeks against the Premier League’s most in-form side was enough of a struggle for Liverpool’s players on Sunday, and Rodgers’ tinkering with roles and formations was an unnecessarily added burden.

Not that Sterling should now be ruled out as an option for Liverpool up front. Against the right calibre and style of opponent, it’s a selection that could prove inspired. Yesterday afternoon however, it was a simple case of the right idea with the wrong execution.

Until Liverpool’s floundering form improves, Rodgers should be keeping things as familiar and simple as possible.

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