Here are five talking points from the weekend's Premier League action:
Spain international goalkeeper Pepe Reina has left Liverpool for a season-long loan at Serie A club Napoli, but said in an open letter to fans of the five-times European champions it was not his decision to leave Anfield.
Liverpool reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 10 years as Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino struck decisive blows to secure a 2-1 win over Manchester City on Tuesday that completed a 5-1 aggregate victory.
Klopp is understood to be open to the idea of a move, the reports said, adding that talks between Liverpool and his representatives were progressing well.
Ranieri had recognised his future at the West London side was uncertain after Wednesday's stinging 2-0 defeat at Southampton.
Barcelona leapfrogged Atletico Madrid to go top of La Liga after Lionel Messi's acrobatic volley secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory against tenacious Malaga on Saturday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Jordon Ibe came off the bench to drive home the winner as Liverpool took a big step towards reaching the League Cup final with a 1-0 victory at Stoke City in the first leg of their last-four tie on Tuesday.
Real Madrid captain and centre back Sergio Ramos is "100 percent committed" to the club, new coach Rafa Benitez said on Thursday, amid continued speculation the Spain defender could be on his way to Manchester United.
Luis Suarez struggled to get into his stride with new club Barcelona after his ban for biting an opponent expired in October and the Uruguay striker is determined to avoid the same fate when the new season starts next month.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Manchester City are about to find out whether Raheem Sterling has the ability to justify his enormous price tag or is just another over-rated young English footballer motivated purely by his bank balance.
While he never managed to win an English league title medal with Liverpool, Gerrard will forever be associated with the Champions League final in 2005 when Liverpool fought back from 3-0 down at halftime to win on penalties in Istanbul.
'Tottenham's teamwork which has given them a chance of reeling in Leicester.'
Liverpool, inspired by two-goal Egyptian Mohamed Salah, took a big step towards the Champions League final with a 5-2 win over AS Roma in their semi-final, first leg at Anfield on Tuesday.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Senegal international Mane faces a three-match suspension from domestic games, although he will be available for Liverpool's Champions League tie at home to Sevilla on Wednesday.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has a goalkeeping dilemma to resolve before ManchesterCity turn up for their Group C Champions League match in Glasgow on Wednesday.
Images from the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg matches played on Wednesday
Newcastle United put their faith in Rafa Benitez on Friday, hoping the Spaniard will keep them in the Premier League after they won only six of 28 league games under the sacked Steve McClaren.
Raheem Sterling's agent has fuelled the fire surrounding the player's contract standoff with Liverpool by saying the England winger would not sign a new deal at Anfield - even for 900,000 pounds a week.
Under-fire Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard may not be enjoying his best spell of form but he is still "a top class player", manager Brendan Rodgers said ahead of their Champions League clash with Bulgarian club Ludogorets.
Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane was named player of the month after scoring six goals in four league games.
Spurs' triumph at the Etihad Stadium moved them within two points of Premier League leaders Leicester City and kept them in second place above Arsenal on goal difference with 12 matches to play
Two unlikely goalscorers lifted a largely dull mid-table Premier League clash between Swansea City and Hull City who shared the points in a 1-1 draw at the Liberty Stadium on Monday.
Liverpool ended their topsy-turvy 2014 on a high after two goals from Adam Lallana, one excellent and one freakish, helped inspire their 4-1 trouncing of Swansea on Monday in the last Premier League game of the year.
IMAGES from La Liga matches played on Sunday
Keeper Simon Mignolet proved the shootout hero as Liverpool reached the League Cup final on penalties after a gripping last-four second leg tie at Anfield ended 1-1 on aggregate on Tuesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
France striker Olivier Giroud ended a run of 10 international games without a goal by netting a stunning winner as the world champions claimed a deserved 2-1 victory over the Netherlands in their Nations League clash on Sunday.
French Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema was placed under formal judicial investigation on Thursday in connection with an alleged attempt to blackmail fellow French soccer international Mathieu Valbuena using a sex video.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Atletico de Kolkata were robbed a point due to poor refereeing as regular captain Luis Garcia's injury time equaliser was disallowed by assistant referee as hosts Kerala Blasters recorded a 2-1 win in a 10th round encounter of the Indian Super League in Kochi on Friday.
'You cannot sack all the players so sack the manager -- whether right or wrong'
A red hot Luis Suarez scored four goals and contributed three assists as Barcelona's stuttering La Liga title charge sparked back to life with a spectacular 8-0 thrashing of Deportivo La Coruna on Wednesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Villarreal went top with a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Saturday after a toothless Real Madrid were held 0-0 at home to 10-man Malaga and Lionel Messi suffered a serious injury as Barcelona beat Las Palmas 2-1.
Images from the EPL matches played on Sunday
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