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A Tale Of Two Cites: Will we have to look to Manchester City and Manchester United for excitement this season?

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Not far away, the city of Liverpool hosts two well-known football clubs who, like the Manchester clubs, share a bitter rivalry ninety nine per-cent of the time. When the local derbies roll around, there is no better ninety minutes of football to witness. Even if the quality of the play falters, the passion, nerves and commitment do not. However, both are undergoing transitions and alterations which will mould and define their future.

Brendan Rodgers’ passing tactics which won him plaudits at Swansea have unsurprisingly rubbed off upon his new club. At the Hawthorns, as Liverpool kicked off their season, the first half saw a side who, looking slightly rusty, knocked the ball around well in midfield. Zoltan Gera’s rocket stunned the Reds in to surrendering; they defensively collapsed, kept possession poorly and West Brom ran out as deserved 3-0 victors.

Under Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool were in a stage of transition, extended after Roy Hodgson’s dismissal. Albeit featuring a Carling Cup triumph, the poorly managed Luis Suarez situation resulted in Dalglish facing the Anfield exit door, which has been used too often of late.

This transition has been further prolonged with Rodgers’ entrance, and it may take one month or one year for things to click in to place. As this is being written, ahead of Liverpool’s meeting with Manchester City, Liverpool’s fortunes will only gather momentum if points come their way. The red half of the city needs patience: that is all.

In contrast, a short walk across Stanley Park reveals an area licked with royal blue paint. Goodison Park has recently transformed in to even more of a fortress of late, especially after Everton’s 1-0 win over Manchester United. A momentous pre-season on top of that leaves David Moyes’ side with a one hundred per-cent start, as a 3-1 defeat of Aston Villa increased the optimism and good mood surrounding the club.

Everton’s transfer window has been well documented so far, as an unusual amount of business has occurred: Kevin Mirallas, Steven Pienaar, Ben McLaughlin and Steven Naismith joined the squad and added strong foundations to the full 2012/13 season which awaits them.

If Jelavic stays injury free along with Pienaar, Fellaini and the defence while the admirable style of football continues, the Toffees await significant rewards. Whether that is a European place or a possible trophy (which Moyes has been deserved of for some time) remains to be seen.

If you do anything this year, keep your eyes on the giants of the North West for not only the best in quality; the most dramatic, twisting, novelistic stories take place there, whether that be in a positive or negative manner. The south of England may be losing its charisma and influence upon the Premier League; therefore, in case you didn’t already, you know where to look for entertainment this year.

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