The Reds have lost three of their opening five Premier League games this season but, ahead of the Merseyside derby, the new signing is confident of a return to form

Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana is confident that his side will improve their form and end their “tough spell”, starting against rivals Everton on Saturday.

Brendan Rodgers’s men, runners-up in the Premier League last season, have lost three of their opening five games this term to leave them 11th in the table.

But Lallana, one of seven summer arrivals, has faith in his new manager and the new signings gelling as they look to turn the corner at Anfield.

“Not for one minute did I think it would be easy coming to join such a big club,” Lallana told The Guardian.

“You have to work twice as hard. It’s going to take a bit of adjusting with new players but I am 100 per cent confident we will be better for it.

“We have got an excellent manager and a good, grounded group of lads. We have had a bit of a tough spell but that brings everyone together.

He added: “There have been references to getting back to last season’s form. That is what is expected of us. There’s been a lot of changes but we don’t want to keep making excuses. It’s not right.

“We know what standard is required and we feel that we might have dropped off that a little bit but we are hungry and determined to get back to where we were.

“There is a difference when you pull on that Liverpool shirt to playing for Southampton or any other different team, but it is a great feeling as well.

“Just playing for such a big club as Liverpool brings a greater expectation. You go into games with a different mentality, you are expected to win a lot more games, teams come to you and camp themselves behind the ball. There are different challenges.

“The best way to overcome the expectation and pressure is to just try and enjoy your football. You play your best football when you play with a smile.”

Ahead of his first Merseyside clash, Lallana admits that he was an Everton fan as a youngster but stresses his link with the club has faded over the years.

He explains: “My dad used to support Everton in the Gary Lineker days when they were doing well, so that’s the reason I started following them.

“I would always look for their result but, playing for Southampton for so many years, it faded. Everton always seemed to be fighting relegation when I was supporting them. There were a lot of tears.”

The Belgium international argues that the Reds will still be struggling to integrate their many summer recruits and targets a first league win at Anfield for 15 years

Everton forward Kevin Mirallas believes that his side can finally beat Liverpool at Anfield, with Brendan Rodgers’s new-look team there for the taking.

The Toffees have not registered an away league win over the Reds in 15 years but the Belgian argues that the number of summer recruits still settling into their rivals’ squad should play into their hands.

“Liverpool are totally different this season, I think we can beat them this time for sure,” Mirallas told the press. “They are really different to last season, with a lot of new players.

“I know myself how hard it is when you go to a new country. When I came here from Greece at first I struggled because the leagues are totally different – it’s non-stop.

“They lost [Luis] Suarez, who was the big player for them last season. They will be a different team against us; Liverpool have a new striker, a new defence, and that’s very difficult for a team.

“Players need time when you go to a new club so I think I tell you they’re different from last season, like I say, with a lot of new players and we are confident.”

Only one point separates Liverpool and Everton in the table coming into Saturday’s game, with both teams struggling for form after five rounds, but Mirallas feels that his team are capable of kick-starting their campaign at Anfield, where they lost 4-0 last term.

“Last season was a really bad result against Liverpool – the derby was a real shock,” he recalled, “but things are very different for them, while we have the same players, the same squad.

“We are getting better. Players need time when you go to a new club.”

Barcelona and Real Madrid earned almost four times as much money from television rights as Bayern Munich last season.

According to a special report carried out by La Nueva Espana, the Clasico duo both received €140 million for coverage of their games during the 2013-14 campaign, while the Bavarians accrued €36.93m during their title triumph.

Barca and Madrid earn more from the sale of TV rights than any other side in Europe as there is no collective agreement in place in La Liga, meaning Spain’s two biggest clubs are free to negotiate their own deals.

Consequently, while the Primera Division brings in €755m in TV deals, the Clasico pair account for approximately 34% of that figure. Interestingly, Valencia (€48m) received more money than Atletico Madrid (€42m), who won La Liga last season.

The Premier League remains the biggest draw in world football, as underlined by the fact that its lowest earners in 2013-14, relegated Cardiff City, collected €74.5m, which is just under €30m more than Ligue 1 winners Paris Saint-Germain (€44.69m).

In total, England’s top flight clubs raked in €1.875 billion last year, with Liverpool earning the most money, with €117.05m, just ahead of champions Manchester City (€115.89).

The Premier League brought in over €1bn more than its closest rival, Serie A, which, despite its perceived financial problems, still generated €846.1m in TV deals. Unsurprisingly, Juventus were the highest-earners, with €94m, with Inter second on €80.4m and city rivals AC Milan third, on €77.9m.