Liverpool

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock believes certain players in Arne Slot's squad will be "expecting a hiccup" after pulling seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table with 13 games left.

Warnock sympathised with the players on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, stating: "The players probably feel like they don't want to throw it away because everyone will say, 'it wasn't Manchester City chasing you down, it was Arsenal and they lost their forward three'.

"I do think there is an element of the players expecting a hiccup because it has almost gone so well so far, but they shouldn't do because they are such a good team."

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Tom Mallows
BBC Sport journalist

Everton's magnificent new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock opened its doors for the first time to 10,000 lucky Toffees fans successful in a ballot for an under-18s friendly against Wigan.

Four years in the making and at an estimated cost of more than £750m, the club will move in fully over the summer in time for the start of the 2025-26 season.

The 52,888-capacity ground will be the seventh-biggest in the Premier League and has been selected to host matches at Euro 2028. It is hoped the project will contribute an estimated £1.3bn to the local economy.

There are nods to the past everywhere. The old railroad tracks and Grade II-listed Victorian hydraulic tower have been painstakingly restored. The latticework design by renowned Scottish architect Archibald Leitch, still present on two of the four stands at Goodison Park, is incorporated into the brickwork.

Just one stand was open for Monday's game - the steep-tiered South Stand that will eventually house 14,000 people. Inside there is row upon row of food and drinks stands. You can find your standard football fare - the three flavours of pies are selling well. But also on the menu is Korean sticky chicken and salt and pepper chicken subs.

What is your verdict on the stadium, Toffees fans? Were you one of the lucky ones there on Monday, or do you know someone who was there?

Tell us here

Image source, EVERTON FC

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Premier League game at Aston Villa (19:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Slot confirmed Joe Gomez and Cody Gakpo will both be unavailable for Wednesday's game: "Cody is the closest to coming back but Joe will take quite some time. He is going to be out for a number of weeks because of a hamstring injury."

• More on Gomez's absence: "It's a big blow for Joe and for us. He works really hard to come back and then the first game when he came back, after two or three minutes we saw him making a sprint - and now he is out for weeks again. He will miss a large part of the season but we expect him to be back for the end of the season. He might need surgery but that's something we still have to assess."

• When asked if the experience of winning the league as Feyenoord boss will help in the title run-in, Slot said: "It helps if you've already experienced it. Not just me, but the players. But, it's difficult to take it from there - different players, teams and leagues. Yesterday, [La Liga leaders] Barcelona were close to conceding the 1-1 [in a 1-0 win over Raya Vallecano]. It's the end phase of season when results like this are quite common. It tells you that you have a team that fights to the end. These games you need to win."

• He is happy to have Diogo Jota back regularly: "He has a role like many others. He did so well before his injury and we have missed him for three or four months. We have missed the number nine who played the first seven or eight games in every game. We don't expect him to play 90, 90, 90."

• On the challenge posed by Villa: "They beat Celtic at home in an evening game. When you get the fixture list, you always know Villa away is one of the tougher ones we can face. They have brought in some very good players in the January window and qualified top eight in Champions League. We know we will be facing a tough team."

• On the importance of experience in his squad: "We lean a lot on the players. It helps they are used to playing big games in their career with a lot of pressure. The more experience you have playing big games, the better it is. Some young players maybe don't have experience of big games but make the right decisions because of their quality. We must not overvalue experience but it does help."

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While 10,000 Everton supporters enjoyed the first test event at their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, there was still an opportunity for a Liverpool fan to have a cheeky dig at their neighbours in the form of a celebration.

Wigan Under-18s' Harrison Rimmer made himself a pub quiz answer for years to come by scoring the first goal - and he made the most of the feat by holding up six fingers, referring to the Reds' six European Cup/Champions League titles.

This was not lost on Liverpool fan accounts, external and former players, including John Aldridge,, external who posted on social media to gently goad their Merseyside rivals.

The Athletic's Adam Crafton says it is important for Everton fans to remember the contributions of Sean Dyche as they move into a new era at the club.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, Crafton said: "One of the reasons why David Moyes has been able to do so well is that he inherited a defence that has been will-drilled for years under Sean Dyche, and if it wasn't for Dyche then Everton would probably be in the Championship.

"Once they get into that stadium and everything starts to look rosy under the new ownership, they shouldn't forget the job that he did last season with point deductions, and even this season."

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Jordan Chamberlain
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It is becoming increasingly obvious with every match that Liverpool need a new number nine in the summer.

Luis Diaz finally got a start on the left wing because of Cody Gakpo's injury and scored his first goal for 10 matches.

He is not a centre-forward. He does not make enough runs in behind and is not physical enough to challenge the centre-backs aerially. Diaz is an excellent left-winger, though, and there is no reason to sell - he should just be played in his best position more often.

Darwin Nunez is sadly not a long-term option. He may well have a few big moments from now until the end of the season, but if Saudi money is on the table, Liverpool would be mad not to take it. After all, he has only scored six times this season.

Diogo Jota is a good player but, ultimately, not reliable as a result of his abysmal injury record. He has also only scored eight goals this term - hardly prolific.

Alexander Isak is the best potential option. The Swede is coming into his prime at 25 years old and has been sensational for Newcastle this season.

Liverpool's best hope of securing him would be if the Magpies miss out on Champions League football, as Isak absolutely should be competing at the highest level.

Bar Isak, there are not a lot of elite strikers at clubs who will sell, so it would be wise for the Reds to go big on him this summer.

Is Isak a realistic target and the right man for Liverpool? If not, who is? Or do the Reds not need a new centre-forward at all? Let us know here

Find more from Jordan Chamberlain at Empire of the Kop, external

Image source, Getty Images

Virgil van Dijk says Liverpool are fully focused and not worried about other teams as they look to stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League to 10 points when they go to Aston Villa on Wednesday.

However, the Reds captain insists the players will not get ahead of themselves, especially those who have the experience of being that far ahead of Manchester City in 2018-19 and falling agonisingly short.

"I don't know how others would think, I can only say what I think and what I tell the boys to do because I've been through this whole situation and come up short," said Van Dijk.

"The only thing you have to do is just focus on us. Let's try to win every game ahead of us - and if we do that then obviously we have success.

"We have to put all our energy in only ourselves and that is hard enough already.

"If you focus on other things or look at others it is only going to backfire so we keep going.

"Certain players in our team might watch other teams but it is not going to help you."

Listen to more from Van Dijk on BBC Sounds

Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen has a £50m release clause in his contract, which can be activated from this summer - and Liverpool are among the clubs interested in the 19-year-old Spain Under-21 international. (Fabrizio Romano), external

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