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It is that time of the season where domestic and European games come thick and fast, but who is best equipped to deal with those demands?

"Manchester City are probably in the worst position but it depends who they can get back fit," said former Premier League goalkeeper David James on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"They have already had academy players starting Premier League and Champions League games in the past month.

"City are stretched and will be on the edge if they are bringing in freshly recovered players back in for so many games.

"Liverpool can afford to rest players because of their position in the Champions League and Mikel Arteta seems to be picking the same fit players to be playing all the games so far this season.

"He does start to rotate further into the competitions, and that works for them for now, but that is also when they will start to pick up injuries later on in the season.

"So Liverpool are probably in the best position as things stand."

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds

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New Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says that while journalists and pundits may not think it is possible for the Red Devils to win the Premier League title under him in the future, he has full belief in himself, his staff and his players to make that dream a reality.

Speaking at his first news conference as United boss, on Friday, the 39-year-old said: "I’m a little bit of a dreamer. I believe in myself. I believe in the club - we have the same mindset. I truly believe in the players. I know you don’t believe a lot but I do. I want to try new things.

"You guys don’t think it’s possible, I do."

The former Sporting Lisbon manager arrived in Manchester on 11 November, following the sacking of Erik ten Hag.

Asked where he thought he might need to "repair" the United squad, Amorim dismissed the suggestion his players needed fixing.

"I don’t know about repair." he replied. "We have space to grow as a team. We have to improve in a lot of areas. I know it’s a different way of playing and we are changing the way we play.

"We have to change the physical aspect of the team. I don’t know how long it will take. I know at Manchester United we have to win games. We need a lot of time because it’s a tough league, we have to improve a lot to try and win the title.

"It's not revolution. The football is not so different with five at the back, four at the back, three at the back. It’s not evolution or revolution, it’s a change in the way we play football."

Amorim takes charge of United for the first time on Sunday, at Ipswich Town (16:30 GMT).

Jonty Colman
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game at Ipswich Town (kick-off 16:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On his arrival and how it has compared to his expectations: "It’s bigger - you feel here’s a global club. There’s so much to do not just coaching the team. I’ve had a lot of help. I feel at home."

• On where he sees scope for improvement at United: "We have to improve in a lot of areas. We are changing the way we play. We have to change the physical aspect of the team. I don’t know how long it will take. I know at Manchester United we have to win games. We need a lot of time because it’s a tough league. We have to improve a lot to try and win the title.

• On what needs to change: "Simple things I think. We lose the ball too often, we have to be better at running back and we have to be very good in the details. We have to improve the small things. Understanding the small things, I think is what I'm good at."

• On receiving a message from former United boss Jose Mourinho: "He said it’s a big club, a lovely club with lovely people - and he’s correct. It still is. We are building a new club. I am a different guy. I hope to teach something different here to my players. It’s the best club in England and we want to win - that’s all."

• On recruitment: "We have to improve the process. I want to have a strong position on that because of how I want to play. It should be together but I think the manager should get the final say. I have a great responsibility when we choose players because that is something that should be done in this way - I should be able to choose the players."

• On whether managing United is the impossible job: "Of course not. I truly believe that. Call me naive [but] I truly believe I’m the right guy for the right moment. I’m not worried about that."

• On how he will implement his playing style upon the players he is inheriting: "As a coach, you have to choose one way or another. I always, 100%, our way. I prefer to risk but push in the first moment. Since the first moment, I believe so much in our way of playing - there’s no second way. We will adapt some players because we don’t have the right profiles as this squad was set up for a different system. When you see the team on Sunday, it will be similar players, but in the game it will be different."

Follow all of Friday Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news here

Full commentary of Ipswich Town v Manchester United from 16:30 GMT on Sunday on BBC Radio 5 Live

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BBC Radio 5 Live commentator Alistair Bruce-Ball believes a trip to Portman Road will be a "test" for new Manchester United head coach, as the Portuguese boss prepares to take charge of the Reds for the first time on Sunday, against Ipswich Town (16:30 GMT).

Speaking on the Football Daily podcast's The Commentator's View, Bruce-Ball said: "Ipswich are coming into it on the back of winning away at Tottenham.

"Portman Road has been absolutely bouncing for every home game this season and I actually think it will be quite a test for Manchester United.

"Funnily enough, Arne Slot started at Portman Road, just like Ruben Amorim is going to start at Portman Road.

"Liverpool won that game 2-0. I looked back at Pep Guardiola's first game in charge when they beat Sunderland 2-1 through a Paddy McNair own goal."

John Murray recalls the buzz around former United manager Erik ten Hag when he took charge of the Reds back in 2022, indicating that the sentiment around the Dutchman was similar to that which surrounds their new head coach now.

"Do you remember that the optimism for Erik ten Hag was quite high, wasn't it?" he said.

"People might forget that because of everything that happened and the way the exit has occurred this season.

"But there was quite high optimism for when Erik ten Hag was starting."

Listen to the full episodes on BBC Sounds

Ben Collins
BBC Sport Journalist

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Tottenham (kick-off 17:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On his two-year contract extension: "I felt I should stay here. Of course, because they want me. For obvious reasons, for the results and because we've known each other for a long time. All my decisions have been like that, what I feel in the moment, I wait. I decided to stay here and in just two hours we did it [agreed the contract]. I don't want next season in September, October, November, for it to be 'is this the last year of Pep? Will he extend again?' That was the main reason."

• On staying until after the decision is announced on the 115 charges the club is facing: "I said that six months ago. If we get relegated, I will be here and next year we're going to come up to the Premier League. I knew it then - I feel it now."

• On bouncing back from four straight defeats for the first time in his managerial career: "When you are here for nine years, with a long time at one club, you live all the scenarios, all the situations. You're able to lose four games in a row, but at the same time you're able to win four Premier Leagues in a row. The difference is that most of the teams are able to lose four games in a row in different competitions but just one team won four Premier Leagues in a row. So it's happened."

• On playing against Tottenham, who inflicted the first defeat of City's losing run last month in the EFL Cup: "We have to break the situation. We have to start winning games. Tomorrow we are coming back at home so hopefully we can perform well and start to take our rhythm."

• Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic has come back from international duty with an injury that will keep him out for "a few weeks or a month".

• "Some" of his other injured players will return: John Stones and Manuel Akanji have "trained good" and Nathan Ake is set to come back to training. Phil Foden and Jack Grealish have been pictured training this week.

• On Rodri being at Saturday's game: "It's nice to see Rodri back. Since [he won] the Ballon d'Or, we could not see him and congratulate him. His mood is good. It's unique in our club - a player to come here and get this amazing award and it will be nice to share it with our people."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to full commentary of Manchester City v Tottenham from 17:30 GMT on Saturday on BBC Radio 5 Live

Manchester City captain Kyle Walker says it "is great news" that Pep Guardiola has signed a new two-year deal.

"Hopefully we can now get back to winning ways and go and make sure we can put a stamp on this Premier League again," added the defender.

Listen to the latest episode of You'll Never Beat Kyle Walker on BBC Sounds

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The Athletic's Manchester City writer, Sam Lee, says Pep Guardiola's two-year extension is not the length of contract that he believed the Spaniard would sign.

It was reported by The Athletic on Tuesday that Guardiola was going to extend his deal by a year but has instead committed his future until 2027.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast on Friday, Lee said: "We said a year plus the option for another year. It was a bit of confusion on my end with that, to be honest. The original tip-off had been two years. The more concrete information I got said one plus one.

"When I heard the tip on Monday night, two years, like everyone else I thought 'surely not'. So when I heard the solid information that it's one plus one, I thought 'yeah, that makes more sense'.

"It was more than expected, even people at the club didn't have any hopes for him. Some people didn't think he'd stay for one year let alone two. It's great news for them - it's great news for all the fans. It's obviously a surprise for everyone else.

"There's obviously fans of other clubs thinking he's just got to go away and then it gets announced that he's staying and that it's two years. It's big news for City and the Premier League."

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BBC Sport pundit Nedum Onuoha gives us his insight and opinion every fortnight on your Premier League club but this week he has been in the hotseat for your questions.

Joe asked: Who would you say was the most influential person in football for you in your career?

Nedum replied: Lots of coaches have helped me in different ways, but the one who helped me the most was Mark Hughes when he came to Manchester City.

He was into sports science and structure. He created a culture where you got yourself ready way in advance of a training session and you did things after training as well

You were not just a footballer, you were an athlete. That made a difference for me because I actually played more games in the second half of my career than I did in the first because of some of the things he brought in.

It was all to do with recovery and preparation for games. When I was younger, I used to have a lot of niggling injuries so I missed out on some good times. But with Mark we'd be doing hydration tests, wellness questionnaires and yoga and palates after training. That became the norm and part of the culture of the club.

I carried that with me for the rest of my career, so it was vitally important.

A discussion in football is that your best ability is your availability. The culture Mark had at the time helped me to play as much as I could.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha believes new Manchester United Ruben Amorim has "the energy they need" to succeed, starting at Ipswich on Sunday.

Speaking on BBC Sounds' Planet Premier League podcast, Onuoha said there has been a real uptick in the optimism at Old Trafford.

"When a new face comes in with positivity and isn't jaded by being pressed by the media there's hope and the potential for joy," he said. "That's the energy that they need.

"It's the change that has been on the cards for the last year."

Listen to Planet Premier League in full on BBC Sounds