Kolo Toure
Kolo Toure has the character to take Liverpool to a new level, according to Brendan Rodgers.

Brendan Rodgers believes that Kolo Toure possesses the right character to help improve Liverpool's defensive line-up this season as the club look to build on their good start to the 2013/14 campaign.

Toure was signed by the Reds at the beginning of the summer as Rodgers worked quickly to find replacements for the outgoing Jamie Carragher. At 32 years of age he wouldn't appear to be a long-term option but Rodgers has insisted that the leadership qualities the Ivory Coast international brings will be equally important.

After signing fellow defenders Tiago Ilori and Mamadou Sakho in the summer as well, Rodgers believes that it is Toure's unique character that make him a particularly useful addition.

"Kolo is the type of character that I love in a back-four, an organiser and a leader," he told the Liverpool Echo.

"I think whether he's playing with Daniel Agger or whether he's playing with Martin Skrtel, you need that leadership."

Agger had at one stage looked as though he could move to Barcelona this summer, with the club confirming that an official bid had been placed for the vice-captain, but the Dane insisted throughout that he was happy on Merseyside and Rodgers believes that the partnership he has formed with Toure will make him even better this season

The manager explained: "Daniel's a wonderful talent, he's an international captain, he's one of the best left-sided players in the world.

"So it's two experienced players [Agger and Toure], but it's important that you play together, and they've held us together really well."

Liverpool began their season with three wins in a row, with fans particularly jubilant over the international break as the side take top spot in the Premier League table.

And today Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero name-checked the Reds as a side to be feared this season, sealing what many believe has been a successful second summer transfer window under Rodgers.