Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was greeted with a high five and a warm hug from liverpool manager Juergen Klopp ahead of the midfielder's first training session at his new club.
For some of the other high-profile players returning to their English Premier league teams following the international break, the reception might be a little frostier.
Unlike Oxlade-Chamberlain, who managed to secure a transfer from Arsenal, three stars of the league — Alexis Sanchez, Philippe Coutinho and Riyad Mahrez — failed to get the moves they wanted on the final day of Europe's transfer window last week.
Coutinho hasn't played for liverpool this season while being the subject of three huge offers from Barcelona, and even lodged a transfer request in early August in an attempt to force through a move to the Spanish side.
"He showed up in a very, very good mood," Klopp said on Thursday. "He's back and we had a really good conversation. So good."
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On Saturday in the standout match of the fourth round of league games, and it remains to be seen if Coutinho is in the right state of mind to be in contention. Chamberlain could make his debut for liverpool, but would likely have to displace one of Emre Can and Georginio Wijnaldum — two of the Reds' best players in their 4-0 win over Arsenal in the last game before the international break.
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Manchester United is the only team to have won all of its games, and goes for a fourth straight victory in its trip to Stoke. United has already beaten West Ham, Swansea and leicester, scoring 10 goals in total without conceding.