Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Chris: Hi Phil, Liverpool look like they are on decent ground to win the title this year. However, it's nearly Christmas and Mohamed Salah's post-match interview yesterday clearly shows a contract isn't waiting to be signed. Do you think any of Salah, Virgil van Dijk or Trent Alexander-Arnold agreeing terms with Real Madrid etc. in January the biggest threat to our title run? Merry Christmas.

And a Merry Christmas to you, Chris.

I would be very surprised if any of those things happened in January, even with Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has been surrounded by so much speculation about Real Madrid.

As for the wider picture, I do not think these sub-plots will be a threat to Liverpool’s attempt to win the Premier League because I think the three players involved are simply too professional – not to mention too good – to allow such a distraction.

I think it is even less likely now because Liverpool are top of the Premier League, top of the new Champions League format and in the hunt for all the big prizes. This will be focusing their minds on the pitch, not anything going on in the background about contracts.

So, relax.

Image source, Getty Images

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Steve, Goodwick: Morning Phil, Liverpool fell away and fatigued in the latter stages of last season after competing on all fronts. Given Arne Slot’s more measured approach and the reincarnation of Ryan Gravenberch and to some extent Cody Gakpo, do you think they have the squad to avoid a similar scenario?

Hello, Steve. I think at this stage, Liverpool’s squad looks strong, fit and ready to pursue all the big prizes. Injuries can always be a factor and they certainly ran out of steam under Jurgen Klopp’s highly intensive approach last season, but I look at that squad and – barring those injuries you mention – I can see them lasting the course this time.

Slot’s strategy does seem more measures so perhaps, as you say, this will also play in their favour as well.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler is hopeful the leg injury suffered by midfielder Mats Wieffer in Saturday's draw against West Ham is not too serious. All the other players came through the game unscathed.

Winger Solly March and defender Adam Webster are edging closer to fitness and could be part of the squad for Friday's game.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler on recent lack of goals and whether he is doing anything extra in training to boost his strikers' confidence having not won in five games: "Not in an artificial way. We train a lot, we continue to train a lot. It is not a case of because we are not scoring a lot we train more. We have experts for the strikers, experts for the defenders, so we try to improve the players with every training session."

On Brentford's poor away form: "We prepare like any other game. I am not a fan of statistics like that. They don't give you any guarantee to win the game. We see this as an opportunity to get out of this circle of bad experiences. We need to try to play with more intensity and give the supporters a present."

More updates from today's Premier League news conferences coming right up, plus our Phil McNulty Q&A. Here is a reminder of Thursday's fixtures:

• Man City v Everton (12:30)
• Bournemouth v Crystal Palace
• Chelsea v Fulham
• Newcastle v Aston Villa
• Nottingham Forest v Tottenham
• Southampton v West Ham
• Wolves v Man United (17:30)
• Liverpool v Leicester (20:00)

Newcastle United

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe on how winning games makes the busy run of festive fixtures easier: "Winning changes everything. I will enjoy the Christmas period if we are successful. If we don't then I probably won't. But I don't think that is different to any other time of year."

On how confidence can impact players' performance: "It changes the players' feel and emotions. The challenge for us is to get every player in the best frame of mine possible. We have seen from the whole squad an improvement from the start of the season.

"We are in a much better place. But it is important we don't get distracted and focus on the games. We have some brilliant fixtures to enjoy, but we will only enjoy them if we are at our best."

Newcastle United

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe on Christmas training: "We will get them in training but won't keep them for any longer than they need to be in and then they can enjoy Christmas like everybody else."

More team news: "Joe [Willock] is fine. To keep Joe fit for a sustained spell is now really important for him to get back to his very best level - it will take him a period of games.

"Nick [Pope] is doing okay, he has had a couple of injections in his knee. Quite when he will be fit, it is still difficult to give a definitive date."

Newcastle United

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe on Newcastle's fine home record against Aston Villa, not losing since 2005: "Previous games don't tell you anything about what is going to happen in the future. We really enjoyed playing at home in the last few games. Our home performances in general have been very good, so more of the same would be very welcome."

On Villa: "This will be a really good challenge for us. I think they have good depth in their squad, they have some really good players. Their style is very difficult to play against, they're very well coached, very well drilled."

Newcastle United

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is the first Premier League manager to hold a news conference today and here he is with an update on Joelinton's fitness: "We will have a look at him today. He had various facial injuries after the last home game against Brentford, in which he came off. He had a couple of stiches around his ear, so we will see how he is today."

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Craven Cottage

Image source, Reuters

Just as for Southampton's 2-1 Carabao Cup quarter-final loss against Liverpool on Wednesday, interim boss Simon Rusk led them from the dugout, with Ivan Juric's first game in charge set to be the home game against West Ham on 26 December.

Speaking about his new boss, Saints goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale said: "We met him and, from what came across, he wants to be high pressing, a little more aggressive, hard to beat, crushing spaces and playing in the right areas.

"We probably kicked more today than he would like to, so it's about finding that balance between kicking when we can and letting our boys in attack enjoy themselves."

Juric was constantly chatting tactics with his coaching staff up in the stands at Craven Cottage, sometimes in Italian, sometimes in English.

Southampton

Southampton interim manager Simon Rusk speaking to BBC Sport: "We wanted to build on solidity for the group and find that balance. We are the first team to deliver a clean sheet here [Craven Cottage] this season. We are delighted with that, hopefully this can be a catalyst for the players to build on and move forwards.

"They are an honest group. They are focused as professionals and focused on the job at hand. They gave everything in these last two games. They can take confidence into whatever comes next."

On his future following the appointment of Ivan Juric as permanent manager: "Ultimately, the role of an interim head coach is less about your vision of football and more about the immediacy of what the club and team needs.

"I've drawn on my experiences and worked as hard as I can to help the players over these two games. My task was to take responsibility for the two games, focus on that and nothing else.

"I'm sure there will be fallout from that, but tonight I'm just going to have a rest. I had a brief chat with Ivan. I'm sure over the coming weeks his identity and ideas will become clear."

Fulham

For ninth-placed Fulham, manager Marco Silva felt Sunday's draw with Southampton was a "missed opportunity" as victory would have moved them just four points behind fourth-placed Nottingham Forest.

He said: "We should have won the game definitely. We tried everything, it's impossible to finish a game with more attacking players in our team. Our attacking line was never really a threat for them.

"We had two or three clear chances, but we should have created more and have to be more clinical. That was a game we win if we take better decisions."

The new-manager bounce that came with Ruud van Nistelrooy's appointment already looks to have fizzled out at Leicester.

He's now had four games in charge and they've lost their last two - by scorelines of 4-0 and 3-0. The Foxes' next two games are against Liverpool and Manchester City, although perhaps it's a good time to be facing City, given their recent form.

Wolves, meanwhile, leapfrogged Ipswich on goal difference and are now just two points behind fourth-bottom Leicester.

Vitor Pereira's first home game in charge is against Manchester United before Wolves visit Tottenham, although as you can see below, they are both in the bottom half with Wolves and Leicester right now.

Here is how things look at the top of the Premier League. It is a very merry Christmas for Liverpool fans as they sit four points clear of Chelsea at the summit, with Arsenal a further two points back.

A wonderful start to the season by Nottingham Forest means they celebrate Santa's arrival in the top four, with Bournemouth tucked in close behind in fifth.

Not sure many people would have predicted that in August.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Craven Cottage

New Southampton boss Ivan Juric saw first-hand how tough a job he has got on his hands, with even some of his side's supporters mocking the team's efforts, despite them gaining a hard-fought goalless draw at in-form Fulham.

At a bitterly cold Craven Cottage, the former Roma boss and ex-Croatia player was an animated presence in the press seats after he had been announced as manager on Saturday, replacing the sacked Russell Martin.

But Juric, sitting alongside members of his coaching staff, had to wait until the 56th minute to see his team have an attempt on target, with away fans chanting "we had a shot" after Adam Armstrong's tame 20-yard strike was straight at home keeper Bernd Leno.

Despite the battling point, Southampton are bottom of the top flight at Christmas for the first time in their history and their six-point tally is the joint-third lowest of any side in the Premier League era, with only Sheffield United (two in 2020-21) and Sunderland (five in 2005-06) having fewer.

MOTD2

Image source, Reuters

Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy defended his goalkeeper Danny Ward, who came in for the injured Mads Hermansen and was booed by his own fans.

Speaking on Match of the Day 2, former Premier League keeper Shay Given admitted Ward could have done better with each of Wolves' goals but added:"I've been there, it's a tough and lonely position. A lot goes on in between your ears.

"Ruud has been super positive by coming out [and defending Ward]. They are in it together. They have to get round Ward in the next few days and support him. I'm sure they have sports psychologists at the club as well. They have to stick together.

"It's not just the goalkeeper. It is the balance of the team that they have to get right and Ruud will know that."

Wolves

Wolves boss Vitor Pereira told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I believe that we will stay in the Premier League and we will play at a better level than we saw today.

"Today I am happy, as the team showed spirit and that spirit is what Wolves supporters want to see.

"I asked them to be proud of our work at the end of the game and to make the supporters proud of our work."

The Portuguese coach, 56, was handed his first job in the Premier League on Thursday and took charge of his first Wolves training session that day.

"In three days, to organise the team and give them confidence to play - that is hard," he added.

"I believe that this team will be more comfortable with the ball, with more possession and also creating more situations to score."