Paper Round: Jurgen Klopp - Liverpool ready to spend their way to title

In his press conference before their match against Arsenal, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said that the club will have to spend in order to become title challengers. Liverpool struggled for cover with Sadio Mane away at the Africa Cup of Nations, and made no signings in January. Given Daniel Sturridge, Alberto Moreno and others are expected to depart in the summer, Klopp knows he has to spend, saying: “We still have to make the right transfers, but we will have to make transfers of course. We will spend money in the summer.”

Paper Round's view: Liverpool will undoubtedly need to strengthen. Klopp's tactics demand a lot of physical exertion and mental concentration to succeed, and we have seen his thin squad tire, and also fail to match his tactical approach to pressing and incisive attack. Much of this would be solved not just by buying better players, but having a deeper squad of players to choose from.

Jose Mourinho claimed that his previous image as a combative figure has been changed at Manchester United. Having left Chelsea under a cloud with disagreements with the board, players and other staff, things appear to have improved at United. He said: “I think Manchester United learn I am not the monster that you say I am, I’m not such a bad guy, an arrogant guy, a difficult person to work with. So I think I am better than you think, people are quite happy to have me around and to work with me."

Paper Round's view: It's much easier to be in a pleasant mood when things are going your way, but there's no denying the atmosphere at Old Trafford has changed. Having sold Memphis and Morgan Schneiderlin in the winter, excluded Wayne Rooney from the first team for much of the season, and dumped Bastian Schweinsteiger to the reserves for months on end, things must have changed if people are still smiling at training. The key, though, is to keep winning.

A doctor for a Team Sky rival, Dr Prentice Steffen of Cannondale-Drupac, was quoted in the Guardian casting doubt on their defence of TUE usage. He said: “I think this has to be looked at with the greater context in view – the three suspicious TUEs that Brad Wiggins was granted just before the three Grand Tours. If they had more than one dose [available], within the context of what they gave Brad for his pollen allergy, I think it’s a bit flimsy.” Team Sky have been under sustained pressure after being unable to provide comprehensive documentation for using TUEs.

Paper Round's view: It would be foolish to make any strident claims about Team Sky in particular, but at the very least they seem able to comply with the existing rules to bring them the greatest possible benefit. It does not become them that they claim to be virulently anti-doping, though, and at the same time be unable to defend themselves as forcefully as they might wish to.

David Haye predicted that he would end the fight against Tony Bellew in a matter of minutes in a press conference before Saturday's bout. Haye said that the match-up would last until, “Round one or round two... Look at the shape of him. I’m a serious professional athlete and you can see the training I’ve done to get into this condition." The two will split £7 million from the proceeds for the fight.

Paper Round's view: The contempt between the two fighters is palpable, and while some of it will be played up to sell tickets and viewing passes, there does seem to be genuine antipathy. Bellew's career is in decline - as is Haye's, really - but it does appear that Haye has retained his ability into older age better than Bellew has. Haye probably has good reason to be confident, but it might only take one punch to prove him wrong.