Sky’s the limit as numbers game kicks in

IT was 6.48pm before Sky Sports News got the shot they wanted. Fernando Torres’ shirt ablaze outside Anfield.

All day, they had been eyeing up the demoralised youths huddled outside Melwood. We’ll never know what incentives changed hands off-screen — clearly not enough to organise an effigy — but eventually three likely lads took the bait and set alight the number nine. Forget crossing the t’s — Nando was gone.

It had been a day of two halves. A long day. “No news is good news,” is almost certainly not what Ed Chamberlain said to Charlotte Jackson as they pair tucked in their own microphones before the morning stretch.