In this sports writing game we’re always told not to get too far ahead of ourselves but come on, who now isn’t thinking about the knockout stages of the World Cup?

“Despite what the Liverpool manager said, football isn’t more important than life and death. Life is much more important.”

Judging by the gushing reaction from their newly-converted pundits, the PRO14’s new pay-per-view broadcasters will not be short of cheerleaders.

It would not be wrong to say that a great many Italians tend to go along with Bill Shankly’s typically understated description of what might or might not still be the Beautiful Game: “Some people think football is a matter of life and death.

The passion of supporters at the World Cup in Russia provides both hope and fear for politicians whose fate can rise or fall on the performance of the team, writes John Lloyd.

One former Donegal county man said it this week about Mickey Moran and his spell in the county that brought them to an All-Ireland quarter-final in 2002.

In this age of not so much creeping globalisation as remorseless, relentless globalisation, the importance of shopping local scarcely needs to be emphasised. Thankfully geographical serendipity makes it easy for your correspondent to do his bit.

It was only when I started working in Armagh city in 2000 that I experienced how intense the rivalry was with Tyrone, writes Oisin McConville.

Greetings once more from Paris, where I am covering the presidential election, the result of which is due, as I write, in an hour’s time.

Steven Kelly takes a look at the iconic life of former Liverpool player and coach Ronnie Moran.

Robbie Fowler believes next week's Merseyside derby will provide a fitting Anfield send-off for former Liverpool captain and assistant manager Ronnie Moran.

Larry Ryan dons his Santa hat to dole out Christmas presents to the sporting world.

Here’s a question for you on a Monday morning. How complicit are you in your sport’s failings?

Liverpool 1 Bournemouth 0: Liverpool might not yet have produced Jurgen Klopp’s heavy metal football, but they are now at least approaching soft rock.

There have been all sorts of gloomy predictions about the fate of the advertising industry in a modern world where nobody can be bothered sitting through a 30-second ad on a smart phone or tablet, never mind the five interminable minutes it takes for a TV break.

Preston 1 Man United 3

While the last 10 years haven’t exactly been a cake walk for Liverpool fans, the club is at a particular low ebb at the moment.

It is probably Liverpool’s poor form that has fast-tracked any discussion of Steven Gerrard’s future to Priority One all of a sudden.

The Scots went to some trouble to make Richie McCaw feel at home at Murrayfield, unearthing evidence placing his ancestors from the same county as Robbie Burns, Bill Shankly and Robert the Bruce.

With Raul’s Champions League goal record firmly in-sight, Ronaldo is not just breaking records but also barriers. Ciarán O’Connor takes a look at how Ronaldo’s performance against Liverpool in Anfield on Wednesday broke the barrier between the fiercest of foes as he was applauded off.

Almost exactly 40 years after their first ever European tie at Anfield, Liverpool’s much-awaited return to the Champions League group stage tonight when they face Ludogorets Razgrad of Bulgaria, is, despite unfamiliar and unglamorous opposition — and despite a self-confessed obsession to end their Premier League drought — a crucial moment in the club’s bid to return to former glories.

There’s a spikiness about Eamon O’Shea.

Liverpool will kick off their pre-season programme with a friendly away to Preston on July 19.

Former Liverpool manager Roy Evans reckons Everton are capable of thrusting the Premier League title initiative back into the hands of their Merseyside rivals this Saturday by taking points off Manchester City.

Liverpool and Chelsea’s rivalry has developed in intensity and bitterness with every passing year

Tomorrow’s meeting of Liverpool and Manchester City is probably the most eagerly anticipated Premier League game for neutrals this season, as England’s two highest-scoring teams meet in a game which will go a long way to deciding the outcome of the 2014 title race.

West Ham 1 Liverpool 2

Of all the cities in England, there’s a connection between Liverpool and Ireland that stretches far beyond the players who have represented Everton and Liverpool.

Bob Wilson has launched an astonishing attack on Jose Mourinho in which he accuses the Chelsea manager of being a boring bully.

A debut novelist has won a €12,000 prize for her book nine years after it was first rejected by publishers.

“I read in the paper this team are watching this player, this player, this player. Well, they’re idiots because those players are so different, how can you look at three different players in the same position?

Liverpool 1 Man United 0

Liverpool 1 Manchester Utd 0

“Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude.

I see a lot of ink, or air, or gigabytes, being expended on a new book by David Peace, Red or Dead, about Bill Shankly, who once managed Liverpool.

Another month, another anniversary, but one that won’t be overlooked on Merseyside in a few weeks will be the birthday — September 2, 1913 — of the man who, in the broad church of football, is revered as a saint.

Preston 0 Liverpool 4

Richard Fitzpatrick picks his top summer reads — don’t go to the beach without one of these in your bag.

Liverpool will kick-off their pre-season preparations with a friendly against Preston on July 13.

Liverpool 1 QPR 0

It’s a fascinatingly old fashioned approach from a club which has embraced modernity like no other

For a good four days there, from Saturday morning through to Wednesday, the Facebook feed went unfed and unchecked, Twitter managed to survive without @Rackob and the internet lost a good few hundred page hits.

Last April I went to the Emirates and saw Mario Balotelli get sent off.