Rodgers had previously said the £16m summer signing of Balotelli was a "calculated risk". He is not reaching for the calculator again, just yet.

The Italy striker has now not scored in seven Premier League games.

"I thought he worked very well, very hard," said Reds manager Rodgers.

"He maybe thought he wasn't going to play but you have got to stay with it. He is working hard and doing his best."

Read more here.

Image source, Sunday Telegraph

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli - who we all know rarely makes the sport pages - is splashed across the front page of Sunday Telegraph sport section.

The Italian, 24, missed the chance to put a week to forget behind him when he spurned a glorious opportunity to score against Hull at Anfield.

The match finished 0-0 which means Brendan Rodgers's team are eight points behind Chelsea, having played a game more.

Image source, other

On a more cheery Championship note, the Football League Paper salutes Bournemouth's 8-0 win at Birmingham City.

The south coast side punished a managerless Blues, who were reduced to 10 men early in the match when defender David Edgar was sent off.

The only previous occasion the Cherries have scored eight or more goals in a league game was on 2 September 1939 when they beat Northampton Town 10-0 in the Third Division South. The following day, the UK declared war on Germany and all results from the embryonic 1939-40 season were expunged from the records. Harsh?

Manager Eddie Howe's Bournemouth are fourth in the league and only two points behind leaders Derby.

Image source, Getty Images

Meanwhile, Giles says that academy coach Neil Redfearn should "keep a million miles away" from the manager's job at Elland Road.

BBC Radio Leeds has reported that Redfearn will be the full-time replacement for Milanic.

Giles told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek: "He won't be allowed to do the job. He has no resources. I think it's common knowledge that he [Cellino] interferes with team selection, bringing players in and deciding who goes out. So what chance has a manager got?

"It's a difficult job when you've everything right. I feel sorry for Neil Redfearn. He doesn't have to do it, and if I were advising him, I'd keep a million miles away from the manager's job."

As mentioned earlier, Leeds head coach Darko Milanic became the third managerial departure in Massimo Cellino's six months as owner when he left on Saturday after 32 days in charge.

That has riled former Leeds United title-winning midfielder Johnny Giles who has urged Cellino to "get out of the club".

Giles told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek: "If you do what this fella's doing at Leeds, they've got no chance whatsoever. I would be very sceptical about the future for Leeds with this fella in charge.

"I think the best thing he could do is get out of the club and make way for a new owner who could work in the best interests of the fans and Leeds United."

We are also gearing up for a dramatic final day of the Women's Super League 2, where the title will go to either Doncaster Rovers Belles or Sunderland, who lead by two points.

Image source, Getty Images

Doncaster have to beat bottom club London Bees away and hope Sunderland slip up at Millwall, who are eighth in the 10-team league table.

Both those games are a 14:00 GMT kick-off, and you can listen to live commentary of Millwall v Sunderland on Radio 5 live Sports Extra, whose coverage starts at 13:30.

We will try to keep you updated with the latest travel news affecting supporters as soon as we get it.

Are you a Man City/Man Utd/Arsenal fan ready to admit your team is playing for second?

D Prasad:, external We are Manchester United. Never ever play for second. Yes we are struggling at the moment, but it wont last too long. We will be top again.

Dean Ritchie:, external As a United fan, I feel we can make top three. Get a draw against Chelsea today and we'll get a confidence boost.

Dan Cooke:, external Stuck at London Euston, all trains suspended, a load of United and Chelsea fans stranded....

Whoever you are and whoever you support get in touch on Twitter using #bbcfootball,, external send us a text on 81111 (UK only), or post a comment on the BBC Sport Facebook, external or Google+ page., external

This is for supporters travelling out of London on Virgin Trains to get to Manchester for the Manchester United v Chelsea match at 16:00 GMT.

Virgin Trains:, external Services in to London Euston will be terminated at Rugby. Rail replacement coaches are being requested

BBC Sport are publishing an FA Cup goal a day in the build-up to the first round - 50 in total.

You can vote for your favourite of this week's seven on this page - if you need to view the options first you can do so in the UK by checking out our list of all the goals we've published so far.

The options:

•Chelsea striker Didier Drogba scoring a free-kick as they beat Portsmouth in the 2010 final.

•Colchester United's Ray Crawford netting as the Fourth Division side stunned Leeds in the 1971 fifth round.

•Chelsea midfielder Roberto Di Matteo firing in a 30-yard strike after 42 seconds of the 1997 final against Middlesbrough.

•Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Chris Waddle striking a long-range free-kick in the all-Sheffield semi-final in 1991.

•Tottenham winger David Ginola's superb solo goal in the 1999 quarter-final against Barnsley.

•West Ham striker Paolo Di Canio beating the offside trap to knock Manchester United out in the 2001 fourth round.

•Arsenal striker Dennis Bergkamp bending a sublime shot into the top corner in their 1997 third-round victory over Sunderland.

Faha Khan:, external Alan Pardew like Big Sam was linked to the England job when Magpies finished fifth. First wait and see what happens to West Ham next season.

Whoever you are and whoever you support, get in touch on Twitter using #bbcfootball, , external send us a text on 81111 (UK only), or post a comment on the BBC Sport Facebook, external or Google+ page., external

Image source, EPA

Both Match of the Day pundits on Saturday were full of praise for West Ham, with ex-Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy picking out Alex Song. Did you see his 'rabona' cross?

Murphy on Song: "He was everything you expect from a midfielder. He screened the back four, won the ball and got West Ham playing. He's a good footballer and his passing was much better than I've seen from him before.

"He was asking for the ball all afternoon and you could see him growing in confidence. He was a leader on the pitch, showing he was the boss and running the game. He was calm and assured in possession."

Ex-Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit on Allardyce: "There was speculation he had to be sacked but the club stuck with him and now he's got a team that works really hard. They got a bit lucky but they deserved it because they worked as a team."

Image source, Mail on Sunday

West Ham's Diafra Sakho graces the back page of the Daily Mail as his second-half header helped West Ham to a 2-1 win against Manchester City on Saturday.

After the match, Hammers manager was kissed by comedian and fan Russell Brand during the BBC post-match interview. On the cheek.

He said "Big Sam" deserves praise. Last year fans thought he deserved the sack.

Image source, Sunday Express

The Sunday Express reports that while one star striker may get on the park at Old Trafford later another looks like missing out.

Radamel Falcao, external reportedly took a knock during Manchester United training on Frida,y while free-scoring Diego Costa of Chelsea has made a recovery from the virus which saw him in hospital earlier this week.

The big question is: Do you take Falcao out of your fantasy team?

Manchester United v Chelsea kicks off at 16:00 GMT and is a BBC Radio 5 live commentary game.

Image source, Reuters

GMT also means that we're fast approaching the January transfer window... fast-ish.

So our Gossip Column is cranking up the rate of latest transfer rumours and other rumours in the footballing world.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez has warned Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool that midfielder Ross Barkley, 20, is not for sale following reports of interest in the England international. (Daily Star), external

I'll give you £50m Roberto.

Image source, Getty Images

... Great Manager Tenures.

Sadly, Darko Milanic's reign at Leeds will not come under that category after he was sacked on Saturday following just 32 days at the club.

The 46-year-old was appointed on 23 September but failed to win any of his six games in charge.

"I want to apologise to the supporters, they deserve better results," said club owner Massimo Cellino in a quote on the club's Twitter page.

When Cellino appointed Milanic, he said of him: "His particularly qualities? He's good looking, what can I tell you?"

Quite.

Let's have a look at Sunday's papers.

Now then wise gals and guys. Some of you UK types have been given an extra hour to process your football rants.

Are you a Sunderland fan wondering whether Gus Poyet is really the right man?

Are you a Southampton supporter looking forward to a Nathaniel Clyne-Gareth Bale face-off in the Champions League next season?

Or are you a Man City/Man Utd/Arsenal fan ready to admit your team is playing for second?

Oh... Big Sam for England?

Whoever you are and whoever you support get in touch on Twitter using #bbcfootball, , external send us a text on 81111 (UK only), or post a comment on the Google+ page., external

Image source, Reuters

... and hello GMT. Great Matches Today.

Burnley v Everton (13:30 GMT)

Will Burnley finally win a league game?

Tottenham v Newcastle (13:30)

Will Magpies keeper Tim Krul frustrate Spurs again?

Manchester United v Chelsea (16:00)

Will this fixture bring an end to the Van Gaal-Mourinho 'bromance'?

All this and much, much more from your Sunday BBC Football live text.