Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has taken a leaf out of the management book of Sir Alex Ferguson. Rodgers went down the Fergie route by holding up three envelopes during a team-talk - and claiming they contained the names of three players who will "let us down this year".

Rodgers told his players: "When I arrived here, the first few days were analysing the group, the staff, the players.

"I think there's three players who will let us down this year - the cause, the fight, everything. And I have written them down already.

"Now my point to you as players - and staff - is make sure you are not the one in the envelope, because you are so important.

"If we are going to achieve, to be the best we can, we need to be together. But I think there's three, maximum, who will let us down. Make sure you're not the one."

That was almost a carbon copy of the stunt Manchester United chief Ferguson employed in 1993 to keep his players' feet on the ground after they were crowned champions for the first time in 20 years.

He held up one envelope allegedly containing the names of three players he feared would let success go to their heads.

But Fergie later confessed in his autobiography the envelope was empty.