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"Joe Allen believes that Liverpool's summer spending has made them a better team this season.  &amp;nbsp; #453640060 / gettyimages.com  Joe Allen has said that Liverpool&amp;rsquo;s &amp;pound;117 million summer recruits have made the squad stronger this summer. After gaining Champions League status, Liverpool have brought in no fewer than nine players during this transfer window to bolster their side and Allen has backed the increased competition to help the club. Speaking the Reds&amp;rsquo; official website, he said: &amp;ldquo;We've brought in players that have strengthened us and our squad looks like it has got a really good balance throughout and is capable of competing at the top of the table once again.\" Lazar Markovic, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Rickie Lambert, Divock Origi, Emre Can, Javier Manquillo, Alberto Moreno and Mario Balotelli have all arrived at Anfield this summer and there is certainly more depth to their squad as a result. The worry for Liverpool fans is, however, that last season&amp;rsquo;s talisman Luis Suarez has departed. The necessity for new buys was heightened by his transfer to Barcelona earlier in the summer and the squad now need to show that they can cope without him. Although their players have been insistent that they can, the initial signs have been a little concerning. Brendan Rodgers&amp;rsquo; side snuck past Southampton on opening day before losing 3-1 to Manchester City this week and there are concerns that their standards have dropped since last season already. Although they should be well prepared to challenge domestically and in European competition, due to the depth of their squad, their first XI appears to have been weakened by the loss of Suarez. The hope is, though, that the newest of their recruits, Mario Balotelli, will be able to compensate for the void that he leaves. SEE ALSO: PHOTOS: Balotelli in Liverpool training - Struggles with bib and laughs with teammatesThe Italian striker was brought in from AC Milan this week and he is expected to be the man to fire the goals to ensure that they retain their Champions League place this season. Liverpool will find out who they have got in this season's Champions League later today (4:45pm).Are Liverpool stronger this season? "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2014/08/28/liverpools-117m-summer-spending-has-made-us-stronger-says-allen/>