Liverpool

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Everton midfielder Jesper Lindstrom says he is building "confidence" and "getting a feel" for the Premier League, after signing on a season-long loan from Serie A side Napoli this summer.

Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside following the 1-0 defeat by Southampton, Lindstrom said: "We have a better team than what we show on the pitch, so there is a level of competition [in the team]. Everybody has to train well, otherwise you don't play.

"I had a good training week and I think that's why I started this game. I have to keep going; everybody has to keep going. We have to demand something from each other and everybody has to fight for the team."

The Denmark international added that the Toffees' next fixture against West Ham United, who are also floating in the bottom half of the table, is "a six-point game".

"Every game is very important," Lindstrom said. "But this is a team that is around us, so we have to win against them to go on top of them.

"West Ham are good, especially at home, so it is going to be tough. We have to demand more, fight and train hard.

"If we perform like this [against Southampton], we aren't going to win [against West Ham]. We have to look in the mirror and tell ourselves to get better."

Listen to the full post-match interview on BBC Sounds

Phil Cartwright
BBC Sport journalist

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Champions League game against Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Centre-back Ibrahima Konate has "completely recovered" and is available to play, after going off injured against Brighton on Saturday.

• Forward Mohamed Salah, who is approaching the end of his contract, wrote a post on social media after he scored against the Seagulls which ended: "No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like." Slot said: "Mo is in a very good place at the moment. As long as he's been at Liverpool he's been in a good place, but this season as well."

• He continued: "I'm hoping he will post after tomorrow and on Saturday again. The only thing that is important for me is how he plays and what he tells me when we have conversations. That's what matters and not how you guys [reporters] interpret one of his posts."

• Asked how long he feels Salah can continue performing at his current level, the Reds boss said: "There's no reason at the moment to think he is dropping in terms of his level. I can't tell you what the future will look like. What age is Cristiano Ronaldo at the moment? He's still doing well. Lionel Messi is still incredible." He added with a smile: "But there are also players, like me, who weren't as good when they were 33 than when they were 26. I regressed a bit earlier than Ronaldo and Messi."

• Slot described Tuesday's game as a "big European tie, which is almost always the situation if you play in the Champions League".

• The Dutchman said one of the main reasons for the magnitude of this game is "because of what Xabi Alonso did for Liverpool, especially in Europe, but maybe more because of how he manages Leverkusen and how strong they are".

• Slot added: "Last season they were incredible. This season they are still the same and just as good, but a bit more unlucky when it comes to results."

• On what he thinks makes ex-Reds midfielder Alonso "special" as a manager: "If you go to a club bottom of the league and with the same players you bring them all the way up - and, without spending that much money in that summer, have a season where they only lost the final of the Europa League - it tells you that he's special. What it is that makes him special is difficult for me to say because I haven't faced him yet and I haven't worked with him. But he's worked with very good managers in the past and he played at the highest levels, so that all contributes to why he is such a good manager."

Catch up with all of Monday's football news

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is excited by the prospect of playing in a big Champions League game at Anfield in front of fans for the first time on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old's only previous home start in the competition was against Ajax in December 2020, at a time when matches were being played with no supporters in attendance because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking at a news conference to preview Tuesday's fixture against German champions Bayer Leverkusen, the Republic of Ireland international said: "It will be quite cool. I've experienced quite a few nights of the Champions League. I didn't play, but the atmosphere is always electric on European nights.

"It will be a special moment and one I'm looking forward to for sure."

Arne Slot's side are two points clear at the top of the Premier League after 10 games and, alongside Aston Villa, are one of just two teams to have taken maximum points from their first three games in the league stage of the Champions League.

Asked how well-equipped he feels the Reds are to challenge for both trophies this season, Kelleher - who is currently deputising in goal for the injured Alisson - added: "We came close last year and just fell off in the Premier League towards the end. Those experiences are big for us.

"We've kept mostly the same squad as last season so we have those experiences and it's a bit more fire in the belly as well.

"The Champions League is one of the biggest competitions. We have always done well in this competition, so the motivation is there to do well in both."

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Mike Richards
Fan writer

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It would be easy for me to bemoan our luck after Saturday's defeat by Southampton.

Jan Bednarek not receiving his marching orders and Beto's equaliser being ruled out by the width of a toenail may be the headline for some.

However, the performance cannot be sugar-coated or seen as a hard luck story. It was embarrassing, lacklustre and woefully short of acceptable.

Everton have become somewhat predictable, from the setup to the personnel and everything in between. There is no freedom for players to express themselves.

If we are being brutally honest, the level of performance has severely dipped from last season and the slide needs to be addressed.

Focus naturally turns to the manager. Rightly praised for the job he did in his first 18 months at the club, there is a sense within the fanbase that his race is run.

With the potential takeover of the club lingering in the background, you wonder whether it has impacted the motivation of some who may not be part of the club's future.

I include management, coaching staff and players in that. It is well publicised who is out of contract in the summer.

With the reset button about to be pressed, the vast majority of those will not be present when we walk out for the first time at Bramley Moore.

The manager can quickly win some fan favour by reinstating Jarrad Branthwaite to the starting XI. His exclusion on Saturday was as baffling as it was unthinkable.

With yet another international break on the horizon, you have to feel the manager has to get it right against West Ham. If he does not, then I will leave everyone to make their own mind up on his immediate future.

Find more from Mike Richards at Unholy Trinity, external

Mark Drury
BBC Radio Tees Middlesbrough commentator

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Ben Doak's arrival at Middlesbrough at the end of the summer transfer window was overshadowed by the drama of Ipswich's bid for striker Emmanuel Latte Lath and his initial reluctance to travel to Cardiff for Boro's Championship game the following day.

Once the dust settled - with Latte Lath remaining a Middlesbrough player - it became clear how potentially significant the 18-year-old's arrival from Liverpool, on a season-long loan, could be.

Highly-rated at Anfield, the Scottish winger has suffered from major injury setbacks early in his career, but competition for his signature was strong.

On the evidence of his eight appearances so far, it is obvious why.

Doak has been Boro's most vibrant attacking outlet this season. He is a throwback – an old-fashioned winger who wants to get the ball, beat his man and whip the ball into the box.

Boro fans love him and so do his team-mates. He seems remarkably unfazed by the fuss and he is enjoying the best run of regular games in his young career.

He is already viewed as such a pivotal part of Boro's team and his recent withdrawal at Norwich, with Boro leading 3-1, was viewed by many fans as a key part of the team's failure to kill the Canaries off, in a game that then ended 3-3.

Boro boss Michael Carrick has no time for that argument though, pointing out the importance of managing Doak's minutes at a young age.

It is a move that seems to be working for everyone, with Doak making the breakthrough into Scotland's starting XI in recent months.

The only downside - from a Middlesbrough point of view - is the lack of an option to continue the relationship beyond this season, with Boro's head of football Kieran Scott telling BBC Radio Tees that there is "no chance" of Liverpool allowing him to join the club on a permanent basis.

That is a problem for the future, though. For now, Boro fans are enjoying Doak while they have him.

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• Since the start of last season, no team has won more games (11) or scored more goals (37) in European competitions than Bayer Leverkusen. The German side's only defeat in their past 17 games in Europe came in last season's Europa League final - a 3-0 loss to Atalanta).

• Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch has recovered possession more times than any other midfielder in the Champions League this season (26), while he is also the midfielder with the most interceptions (10).

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BBC Sport Chief Football writer, Phil McNulty has been answering fan questions on all things Premier League.

@win_n10 on X asked: Sean Dyche has never commanded critical acclaim for his no-nonsense post-war austerity football but Evertonians find themselves asking if his wretched anti-football has finally hit the buffers. Can he turn it around or is he a dead man walking?

Phil answered: I get the real sense of discontent from Everton fans, not just about results but the style of football under Sean Dyche.

I fear ambition will be limited to staying up this season as relegation ahead of going into that magnificent new stadium is unthinkable. This is why, unless Everton are plunged into a dire emergency, I think Dyche will stay in charge as he has charted a course to safety before.

I do not see him taking Everton into Bramley Moore Dock as history tells us billionaires such as prospective new owner Dan Friedkin want their own manager in charge and will harbour wider ambitions than simply safety.

I do not see Dyche, who deserves respect for ensuring Everton’s safety in the last couple of seasons, as manager beyond the end of this season.

Follow the rest of Phil's Q&A here.

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Ibrahima Konate has given a positive update on the injury which forced him off at half-time in the 2-1 win over Brighton at Anfield.

In a social media post, the centre-back confirmed that the knock to his arm "isn't serious", despite being withdrawn from the game at the interval and replaced by Joe Gomez.

Konate wrote: "Thanks for all the messages of support. My injury isn't serious, thankfully.

"I had a scan and it confirmed there is no break. I'll be ready for the next game."

The France international has been a permanent figure in manager Arne Slot's side, having appeared in all of Liverpool's Premier League matches so far this season since being introduced at half time on the opening day.

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Southampton and Everton.

Here are some of your comments:

Southampton fans:

Vincent: What a relief. Everton helped us out by being pretty poor for large parts of the game and when they improved we got the luck we needed thanks to the crossbar and VAR. Still lots to improve on but it feels like we have positive momentum.

Daz: Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, it's only our first win in 10 games in the Premier League and to be honest it was a lucky win at that - we were lucky to hold on to the 1-0. We are still in a relegation spot, so is this the start of something good? Who knows, but I certainly won't be holding my breath. A lucky escape for Russell Martin this time around.

Connor: Not a perfect performance, we needed a lot of luck to get us over the line. Nonetheless, I welcome the feeling of a long awaited win and I just hope the confidence gained can kick start our season. Three more points next weekend please!

Mark: Don't get me wrong, I am very happy we finally won a game but in my opinion we could and should have lost. We can't defend. Playing out from the back will kill us. Martin has no clue about tactics or substitutions. We will be relegated.

Everton fans:

Nigel: This all hangs on Dyche. He hasn't got it in him to try anything different. He could have tried Calvert-Lewin and Beto together. He could stop playing his favourites (McNeil). He could start our best player, Branthwaite. But he's just stubborn, or hasn't the coaching ability. I'm grateful for his service in keeping us up, but it's time to go!

Peter: Every week we stick with Calvert-Lewin, every week he fails to engage in the team strategy, then we bring on Beto who looks 100% behind the team plan. Beto wants first team football, Calvert-Lewin won't sign a new contract. Am I missing something?

Ed: Dyche has to go, plain and simple. Southampton have beaten us twice. Embarrassing. Our unbeaten run has flattered us and I honestly think anyone could get a better tune out of these players than the current management. Focusing on key decisions is a distraction from the underlying mess. The whole club needs flushing out from top to bottom.

Jim: Very sloppy performance, couldn't keep hold of the ball and no decisive cutting edge in attack. Took off our influential attacker in the second half which is a bit baffling. Everton left the back door open for their winner. Head scratching time.

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Liverpool and Brighton.

Here are some of your comments:

Liverpool fans:

Linda: Thought Brighton played really well in both games this week. Liverpool’s attitude and commitment to win these games was outstanding - lovely play and energy from all involved - playing for, and with, each other. Slot has made the transition of Klopp leaving and his arrival seamless. Looking forward to how this season goes. You just never know...

Rhys: Slot has made Liverpool so resilient. Gone is the intensity in attack under Klopp and in its place is a calm composure. Even when on the back foot there is no panic. They just keep to the system and work from back to front.

Pedro: Sloppy first half but showed some guts and determination in the second. I thought Gomez had a great game after coming on for Konate and was unlucky not to score. Salah amazing again... where's the contract offer? Liverpool back on top of the league. So far so good but the big test comes against Manchester City and Real Madrid.

Richard: The first half was woeful. The second, much better. Why couldn't we muster up the urgency that we saw in the second half of the second half, earlier in the match? This sort of syndrome - allowing ourselves to fall behind and sit and wait until the crowd forces us to surge with intent and pressure - we should be doing from the first minute.

Brighton fans:

Brian: First 45 minutes was as good a performance as I can ever remember from a Brighton team. Hinshelwood and Ayari were excellent in midfield. Liverpool ultimately deserved their win, but knowing that we have Pedro, Baleba, O'Riley, Minteh, March and Dunk all close to returning from injury makes me believe that the future for us is very bright.

Ben: When will we get a bit more streetwise? For the second goal, we again allowed a player to run half the length of the pitch. Surely a quick tug on the shirt, take the yellow card and slow the game down. Subs were 10 minutes too late. After 65 minutes our midfield started to chase shadows and needed refreshing.

Sam: There were lots of positives to take away. We could have had three by half-time. However, we were undone by a great attack. The only question I have is why Hurzeler didn't put the subs on earlier?

Nicholas: Brighton showed signs they can mix it with the best and the future looks bright for them. There is just that gap in experience and concentration keeping them off the big six clubs. After Manchester City next week, they should pick up 18 from 21 points - so keep an eye on them.

Liverpool and England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, 26, is Real Madrid's favourite to reinforce their right-back position. (AS - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Everton captain Megan Finnigan says that the club "cannot be left behind" as the Women's Super League continues to grow and become more competitive.

Speaking to Sky Sports after Everton's 5-0 loss to Chelsea on Sunday evening, Finnigan said: "The club situation right now obviously isn't ideal and that is impacting the women's side in some ways. Once the new ownership comes through hopefully we can start seeing changes for the better because this league is ever growing.

"[The league] is growing so fast and that is why the standard is so high. Everton Football Club cannot be left behind."

Brian Sorensen's side remain one of three teams yet to win a WSL game this season.

After conceding five at home to Chelsea they slid back to the bottom of the league with a goal difference of -11.

Everton have still yet to score a goal, with an own goal courtesy of West Ham defender Camila Saez the only one to have counted in their favour so far this term.

Finnigan added: "We need to eradicate the sloppiness. I don't know the answer to that right now because it has not been the easiest of starts to the season for us.

"It needs to happen and it needs to happen soon. We have to dust ourselves off and get ready for another important match next week."

Up next for the Blues is trip away to top flight newcomers Crystal Palace, who sit ninth on four points.

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Everton boss Brian Sorensen says it is "too early to say" whether his side are involved in a relegation fight despite their failure to win in the Women's Super League so far this season.

The Toffees are bottom of the table after six games after being thrashed 5-0 by Chelsea and have scored just once this campaign, courtesy of an own goal.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "We are only a few games into the season. Let's see where we are at Christmas and go from there."

His side have been hard hit by injuries and Sorensen says they have struggled to cope with losing players.

"Yes it was [a case of same problems again]. Maybe the players that played out of position it was not their fault. In the first half we were not sticking to the movements that we talked about and the last two issues led to goals.

"Against Chelsea you have to have your game plan 100% right and that is of course on me, but it is also very tough when you have to make some last-minute changes. We have to do be sharper in every second against top teams like Chelsea.

"I was not impressed with the first half from us but in the second half we stepped up, we just ran out of energy in the end.

"We need to get players ready to play. It is really hard to compete when we are depleted as a squad and have very low numbers and play players in positions that they are not used to. We are working and doing everything we can to get players fit."

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After scoring in Liverpool's 2-1 win against Brighton on Saturday, Mo Salah posted on his Instagram, external that being top of the Premier League is "where this club belongs" but also made reference to the uncertainty about his future at the Reds.

He wrote: "Top of the table is where this club belongs. Nothing less. All teams win matches but there’s only 1 champion in the end. That’s what we want. Thank you for your support last night. No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like."

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Former Premier League defender Micah Richards believes it is "imperative" Liverpool give Mo Salah a new contract at the club.

The Egyptian scored his 7th goal of the Premier League season on Saturday against Brighton and moved clear of Robbie Fowler to become the 8th top scorer in the competition's history.

Speaking on BBC's Match of the Day, Richards said: "There's been talk about contracts and whether he's going to renew or not - they have got to sign him.

"It's imperative to give him a two year deal at the end of the season. He'll be 33 in the summer, it'll take him to 35.

"He doesn't have to play well to score big goals and have big moments. That is the difference between a very good player and a top player."

Watch Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer