It’s exciting that Jurgen Klopp is taking over as Liverpool manager.

I have to say there are not many managers who are taken on who excite not only the club and their fans, but actually the whole of the Premier League.

That’s the case with Jurgen Klopp coming to this country to manage in the top flight.

I’m sure the German psyche is as close to the British as any could possibly be, and I love that twinkle in Klopp’s eye which suggests a bit of devil in the man.

Jurgen Klopp

The Liverpool players will certainly know there’s a new boss in town, and one with very high expectations.

I think Liverpool have acted just in time in replacing Brendan Rodgers.

When you look at Chelsea, who knows what is going on with Jose Mourinho? The players are certainly not performing at the moment.

Then, only a week ago, Arsene Wenger and Arsenal slipped to within danger of not qualifying for the latter stages of the Champions League after that disastrous game against Olympiacos.

Manual Pellegrini is under pressure to win something this season, otherwise he could well be gone at Manchester City, and Louis van Gaal is hardly a convincing Manchester United manager despite their presence in the top three.

So if you take those potentially unstable situations and the possibility for change, you need to take a look at candidates for a top job in England and you come up with the names of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.

They would probably be the ones you would go for if you had the chance, so the fact Liverpool have acted so early in the season suggests they’ve tried to get in before any of their main rivals.

It looks a shrewd bit of business.

Rugby league takes centre stage

The only positive thing about England being knocked out of the Rugby Union World Cup is that Rugby League’s biggest game of the season – the Grand Final – can now truly take centre stage.

While an irrelevant England v Uruguay union clash takes place across Manchester later in the evening – an absolute non-event – the main domestic sporting event of Saturday will be the Wigan Warriors v Leeds Rhinos Grand Final at Old Trafford.

Normally, when we at Skybet put up odds on union, rugby league or American Football, it’s betting with a handicap, because the strengths of the sides vary so much.

It can be a plus two, plus 10 or plus 30 handicap to add interest to the mix, but the Grand Final is a scratch match because both teams are even money.

That’s because the two teams can’t be separated in terms of strength and quality.

If I had to go one way or the other, I must admit I would go with Wigan.

That choice won’t make me popular in our Skybet Leeds office, where I’m surrounded by Rhinos fans, but Leeds just seem to be scrambling through the latter stages of the season.

Referee Phil Bentham shows the red card to Wigan Warriors Ben Flower (2nd left) during the First Utility Super League Grand Final match at Old Trafford
Referee Phil Bentham shows the red card to Wigan Warriors Ben Flower (2nd left) during the First Utility Super League Grand Final match at Old Trafford in 2014

They beat St Helens last week only through a piece of Kevin Sinfield magic – kicking the best 40-20 I’ve probably ever seen.

Leeds were coming under a bit of pressure when Sinfield came up with what was more like a 60-20 than a 40-20, taking two steps to his right and then absolutely nailing the kick from basically his own 22.

Before that, the Challenge Cup winners sneaked through against Huddersfield Giants to take the League Leaders Shield with a try in the final seconds of the match, after they had been behind for most of the game.

I get the feeling Wigan have been strong all season, and also building up gradually to this final showdown.

Either way it should be a cracker, and let’s hope we don’t get the incident and the red card which ruined last year’s Grand Final.

Those are certainly not the scenes rugby league wants to see replayed over and over again (Ben Flower punching Lance Hohaia), and hopefully we are set for some outstanding action and a brilliant match.

They are certainly two excellent teams, but I’m sticking with the Warriors.