Sam Allardyce has remained in abrasive mo0d as he approaches tomorrow’s match against Liverpool singling out Mario Balotelli for some ‘interesting’ words.

Declaring that “he showed in the Champions League this week that he can score from a half-chance” he then adds: “If he has managed to improve his temperament on and off the field and become a more responsible adult, then I think he could be a big player for Liverpool.”

He added: “He’s not a Luis Suarez, but if he can finish the season in double figures, then he will have been a success.”

But he reckons Liverpool squad will need to improve their scoring ratio to compensate for the departure of Suarez.

And he said: “The difference with us is that although we also have to improve our goals total, we haven’t just lost a massive scorer – we haven’t had one yet.”

Writing in his London Evening Standard column he seems to believe we may have found a couple in Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho.

Of the Ecuador international’s goal at Hull he said: “He only shifted the ball half a yard and had no back lift. Sometimes you just have to admire the talent.

“I was equally pleased with the second goal, the way Diafra Sakho swiveled and hit it first time.

“I’m still finding out things about our new players and Diafra taught me, with that single move, why he is a goalscorer. I don’t think anyone else on that pitch would have scored that goal.”