Within a matter of days, Liverpool will have got back to competitive action once more as they ironically face Southampton in the opening game, at Anfield. The Reds will be looking to get off to as similarly strong start as they did last season, claiming nine points from the first nine, all 1-0 victories. With competition heating up for the Champions League spots, and the title itself, Brendan Rodgers and co. will need to be at their best in every game if they are to replicate the success of last season. So, with the season opener closing in - how have the Reds fared in their previous few first Premier League games?
2013-14 - Liverpool 1-0 Stoke.
A wonderful season got off to a wonderful start, when summer signing Simon Mignolet saved the day on his debut and secured Liverpool's first opening-day victory at Anfield since 2001. Daniel Sturridge opened the scoring eight minutes before half-time, as he picked up possession before spinning and drilling a low shot into the bottom right corner, straight past Asmir Begovic. Liverpool would have increased their lead, if it wasn't for some terrific keeping from the Bosnian and some help off the woodwork, as Kolo Toure and Jordan Henderson crashed efforts against it after Robert Huth also thundered an effort off of the bar earlier on. With Rodgers's men cruising to their first three points of the season, Daniel Agger handled a costless-kick in the penalty area with two minutes of the match remaining and gave the away side a chance to nick a point. Mignolet then produced a brilliant low save to deny Stoke striker Jonathan Walters from the resultant spot-kick, as well as blocking Kenwyne Jones' follow-up.
2012-13 - West Brom 3-0 Liverpool.
A new era didn't exactly get off to the best start in 2012. In Brendan Rodgers' first game, everything seemed to go wrong as they crashed to an opening day defeat at the Hawthorns. After taking over from the sacked Kenny Dalglish, Rodgers fell victim to Dalglish's first-team coach Steve Clarke, who got West Brom's season off to a terrific start. Liverpool created a host of chances but struggled to finish them off in the first half, and Zoltan Gera made them pay with a stunning strike which rose past Reina and into the top corner to give WBA the lead. Albion had the opportunity to double their lead on the hour when referee Phil Dowd awarded a penalty when Shane Long fell to ground after a tangle with Daniel Agger. The Danish defender disputed the decision and was shown a red card, reducing the visitors to 10-men but Long's penalty was abysmal and Reina saved it with ease. Yet, Liverpool failed to take advantage and gifted them another penalty when Martin Skrtel upended Long after being caught in possession. Odemwingie took penalty responsibilities this time and drilled the spot-kick in to double their lead. It wasn't long until it was three, when on-loan Romelu Lukaku added the third with 13 minutes left, rising at the far post to meet Liam Ridgewell's cross with a simple far-post header.
2011-12 - Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland.
Liverpool made to a rue a missed penalty when they drew 1-1 at home on the opening day for a second season running. Suarez was tripped by Kieran Richardson inside the box, before firing a high-rising effort well over the bar. It didn't take long for the Uruguayan to shrug off his disappointment when he headed in a 12th-minute opener from Charlie Adam's cross. After a wonderful first-half, Sunderland began to take the upper hand in the second and they were rewarded with an equaliser in the 57th minute. Sebastian Larsson scored a superb acrobatic volley on his debut, after being afforded too much room at the back post. A deep cross fell straight to the Swede, who sent a right-footed effort past Reina. Sunderland were the better team in the closing stages, as the Reds had to settle for just a point.
2010-11 - Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal. 
Roy Hodgson's tenure didn't get off to a particularly desirable start after a disappointing 1-1 draw at home Arsene Wenger's Arsenal. Hodgson's big-name summer signing went into the game with high expectations, but was sent off before half-time for a nasty lunge on Laurent Koscielny, who was later sent off himself through two yellow cards. Nevertheless, the home side took the lead through French forward David N'Gog, who got onto the end of a Javier Mascherano through ball before firing high into the roof of the net. With the result looking sure, a calamitous last-minute error from Pepe Reina allowed Arsenal to steal a point. Marouane Chamakh powered a header off of the post, and the Spanish stopper spilled the rebound into his own net to ensure the Gunners shared some of the spoils.
2009-10 - Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool.
Liverpool faced another opening day trip to White Hart Lane in 2009-10, as they took on Tottenham. After a rocky summer in which Xabi Alonso left for Real Madrid, the home side dominated proceedings comfortably before taking a deserved lead shortly before half-time. Benoit Assou-Ekotto's thunderous drive from range beat Reina after Tom Huddlestone's costless-kick rebounded back off Emiliano Insua into his path. The Reds regrouped and responded before the hour mark, as Heurelho Gomes brought down Glen Johnson in the box and allowed Steven Gerrard to smash home a penalty kick. The lead lasted all of three minutes, as Spurs' Sebastian Bassong rose to head home a Luka Modric costless-kick and the home side soaked up all the subsequent pressure to hold on to the three points.
2008-09 - Sunderland 0-1 Liverpool. 
A season that will be remembered fondly for the 4-1 win away at Manchester United and the 4-0 home win over Real Madrid within two weeks got off to a good start, when Liverpool grabbed a late 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light. Robbie Keane made his debut in the North East, but it was fans favourite Fernando Torres who stole the headlines when he popped up in the 83rd minute with a fierce 25-yard shot that flew past Craig Gordon to seal a late victory. Liverpool had certainly made hark work of beating the Black Cats, but Torres' sensational piledriver proved the difference between the two sides. It was a much-needed boost after rumours of Benitez' departure following drama over the failure to sign Gareth Barry in the summer.
2007-08 - Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool.
Fernando Torres made his Premier League debut after his £20 million move to Anfield, as the Reds overcame Aston Villa 2-1 on the opening day. The visitors took the lead at Villa Park after half-an-hour when centre-back Martin Laursen diverted the ball into his own net after after Stuart Taylor pushed away Fernando Torres' shot. The Reds seemed to had taken the points, with the clock slowly ticking down. However, with five minutes to go, Jamie Carragher handled in the box and gifted the Villains a penalty, which Gareth Barry put past Pepe Reina. Then in the 87th minute, captain Steven Gerrard won a costless-kick from range after being impeded by Stilian Petrov. From around 25-yards out, Gerrard had the last word - beautifully sending a dipping effort up and over the wall and straight into the top corner to seal the three points late on.
2006-07 - Sheffield United 1-1 Liverpool. 
Robbie Fowler's second spell at Liverpool didn't get off to the best of starts, despite scoring a spot-kick to earn the Reds a point. Benitez and his side came up against Sheffield United, who had returned to the top flight for the first time in 12 years, and they were up for the challenge. Paddy Kenny did well to tip over Fabio Aurelio's close-range dipping costless-kick over the crossbar while Fowler should have given Liverpool the lead a minute before the interval. However, after losing both Jamie Carragher and John Arne Riise through injuries in the first-half, the visitors were 1-0 down within a minute of the second half getting underway. Rob Hulse, making his United debut, easily lost his marker Fabio Aurelio to head past Jose Reina from a Michael Tonge costless-kick to put them in the lead. In reaction, Liverpool continually surged forward and almost equalised immediately when Sami Hyypia's angled header from a corner hit the post. They had a flurry of chances which were all wasted until skipper Steven Gerrard won a penalty, when the official adjudged Chris Morgan to have hauled him over in the box. Despite the questionable contact, Fowler stroked home the penalty, but the Reds couldn't go on to find the winning goal.
2005-06 - Middlesborough 0-0 Liverpool.
Coming into the Premier League season as European Champions, the Reds' 2005-06 campaign had been well underway when they met Middlesbrough in the opening weekend. They had begun on July 13 after they'd started the season in the first round of Champions League qualifiers. For the Premier League kick-off they travelled to the North East, with Boudewijn Zenden making his Liverpool debut against his former club. All in all, the game was a fairly frustrating affair. Liverpool were unable to find a way past 10-man Middlesbrough despite the best efforts of captain Steven Gerrard. Ugu Ehiogu was sent off for the home side with 15 mintues remaining, but Boro stopper Mark Schwarzer was on top form to continually thwart the Liverpool skipper, despite his best efforts. Rafa Benitez said afterwards: "I am a little bit frustrated. I think we played the last 15 minutes in their half. We controlled the game. We showed we could create chances and Steven Gerrard had four clear opportunities. It's a pity. We controlled the game in the first half. Steven [Gerrard] could have had three or four goals."
2004-05 - Tottenham 1-1 Liverpool.
Rafael Benitez faced a trip to White Hart Lane in his first ever Premier League game in charge, but he and new Spurs boss Jacques Santini were forced to share the spoils in their respective first league fixtures. A Michael Owen-less Liverpool started off well, as new signing Djibril Cisse scored on his debut to put the Reds ahead after 37 minutes with a neat close-range effort after Jamie Carragher had flicked on Steve Finnan's cross. It was a tight contest, and the visitors were disappointed not to be afforded the opportunity to double their lead when Steven Gerrard was clearly tugged down by 17-year-old Spurs debutant Phil Ifil, but the referee waved away claims. On the hour mark, Harry Kewell came close to making it 2-0 when his effort from distance agonisingly grazed the post. With just 20 minutes to go, Tottenham equalised after the lively Jermain Defoe turned sharply and fired an effort past Jerzy Dudek at his near post.