The Premier League returns after 16-day break with three matches on Tuesday: Arsenal v Fulham, Wolves v West Ham & Nottingham Forest v Man Utd
How things stand as the Premier League returns & when's the earliest Liverpool can win the title?
Pep Guardiola says he's been told it could be up to seven weeks before Erling Haaland can return to action after the striker suffered an ankle injury - games he'll miss & games he may return for
Earlier, Arne Slot spoke about Trent Alexander-Arnold's future and admitted he 'hopes' to act differently when Liverpool face Everton
Team news updates: Bradley & Gravenberch | Botman & Gordon | Rutter & Webster | Kluivert | Richards & Mateta | Smallbone | Kayode, Hickey & other Brentford issues | Bailey & Barkley
*The home game v Bournemouth would have to be rearranged if Man City reach the FA Cup final
Image source, Getty ImagesMan City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
Pep Guardiola on where the battle to qualify for next season's Champions League ranks alongside the other challenges he has had to face as Manchester City manager: "Don't tell me about the toughest battles. We had in the past much more tougher than this one. In the past, except the first season we were together and one season when Liverpool were extremely strong and we could not compete with them, all the time we were there to fight for the Premier League title.
"This is the first time, alongside the first season when I was here nine years ago, that we have had to fight to qualify for the Champions League.
"We have nine games left, we know exactly what we have to do - five at home, four away. We have to win our home games and we are going to try."
Man City v Leicester City (Wed, 19:45 BST)
Image source, Getty ImagesErling Haaland is set to miss a considerable amount of games for Manchester City if the timeline provided by Pep Guardiola is correct.
The City boss said that his medical staff told him the striker could take five to seven weeks to return to fitness.
It means Haaland will definitely miss the derby against Manchester United on 6 April and the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on 26 April.
If it takes the City forward the full seven weeks to recover, he could also miss the FA Cup final on 17 May, if Guardiola's side do beat Forest in the last four.
Manchester City's upcoming fixtures:
Man City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is asked whether he has a specific message to fans planning on staying outside the ground for the first nine minutes of Wednesday's game at home to Leicester.
"No, not specifically. As I said before, they can express freely what they want and the club has made its arguments and can also express. I prefer that than them being passive.
"The club has to be active in many departments and the decisions have been made. The club has to take it for the benefit of the club. The club don't take it for granted.
"We listen to both sides and hopefully the people can be convinced."
Image source, Getty ImagesMan City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
More from Pep Guardiola on Wednesday's opponents Leicester and why Manchester City need the support of their fans: "I know how tough Leicester are. I have been impressed by the way they have played the last two games. They played really well against Chelsea and against Aston Villa they played really good, in different ways.
"They did really well. So we need them [the fans] desperately to achieve our success and to be in the Champions League again."
Man City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on fans' protests: "Of course I have sympathy. When the fans can express their feelings in certain moments it is because the team and club is alive. The worst is when you cannot express.
"This is a club where people can express [themselves] and be in touch. I am in touch, we are all in touch, with the fans and with the club.
"All I can say is that we need them. Since minute one, we need them.
"We are playing for the next season to be again in the Champions League. So we need them, but the people can think about it however they want."
Man City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
More from Pep Guardiola on whether Omar Marmoush could replace Erling Haaland as a number nine: "We will find a solution from the players that we have. They all have different skills and qualities. We will have another one [striker]."
On whether anyone can do the specific role Haaland did in the team: "We don't have another player with his skills or his specific qualities. We know that. But we have to adapt. Since many years we play for different ways up front. It depends on the quality of the players. We are going to try to find a solution."
Image source, Getty ImagesSo, Erling Haaland will miss a minimum of five weeks with his ankle injury. If he returns after five weeks, he will be fit for the Premier League game against Southampton on 10 May.
But he could miss up to seven weeks, says Pep Guardiola. If that is the case, it would make him a doubt for the FA Cup final on 17 May - should Man City beat Nottingham Forest in their semi-final.
Haaland would then aim to be fit for the final league game of the season on 25 May at Fulham, before the Club World Cup in June and July.
Man City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on a potential return date for Erling Haaland: "They told me the doctors between five to seven weeks. So hopefully the end of the season and by the Club World Cup he will be ready."
Man City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on Erling Haaland's injury: "Sometimes there are years when these kinds of things happen. It happened all season. I would say that it could have been different if it was the end of the season [before the Club World Cup]. So with all the injuries we have had this season, I'm so sorry for them and for Erling as well. So [I wish him] a good recovery, as speedy as possible, then come back."
Image source, Getty ImagesMan City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
"Sometimes we are used to this in this country," says Pep Guardiola about the injury to Erling Haaland. "It has happened all season."
When asked about how long he expects Haaland to be out for, Guardiola says he has been told "five, six, seven weeks" by the medical staff.
Full quotes to follow.
Man City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
OK, it will be a major surprise if Erling Haaland's fitness is not question number one for Pep Guardiola.
The Manchester City manager is talking now.
Let's see what he has to say...
Man City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
If Sunday's match at Bournemouth is anything to go by then the answer is yes, in the short-term at least.
Erling Haaland's replacement, Omar Marmoush, put Manchester City ahead just two minutes after being sent on.
It was the 26-year-old Egypt forward's fifth goal in 11 appearances for City since making a £59m switch from Eintracht Frankfurt in January.
FA Cup highlights: Bournemouth 1-2 Manchester City
Man City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
Image source, Getty ImagesSunday's win at Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarter-finals did, however, come at a cost.
Manchester City's talismanic striker Erling Haaland was forced off in the 61st minute with an ankle injury.
The 24-year-old Norway forward, who has scored 30 goals in 40 games this season, was seen leaving the Vitality Stadium on crutches, with his left ankle in a protective boot.
City have since confirmed that he had tests on Monday and will now see a specialist to help ascertain the full extent of the damage.
The club said in a statement that Haaland "will be fit to play a further part in the remainder of this season, including this summer's Fifa Club World Cup".
Man City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
Wednesday's opponents Leicester City provided much-needed respite for Pep Guardiola's side in the reverse fixture.
A 2-0 victory for Manchester City at the King Power Stadium on 29 December helped to bring them out of their funk.
It's not been plain-sailing since then, by any means, with a disappointing defeat to Real Madrid in the last-16 of the Champions League providing another low point.
City face a very real battle to qualify for next season's Champions League, but they are well in the fight in fifth place.
And they reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup on Sunday with a hard-earned victory at Bournemouth, much to the delight of Guardiola.
Image source, Getty ImagesMan City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
Image source, Getty ImagesThis is Manchester City's season:
WWWWDDWDWWWWWLLLLLDLWDLLLDWWWDWLWWLWLWLLWWLDW
Their first loss of the season, bolded up, came at Tottenham in the Carabao Cup on 30 October.
Talk was of a potential fifth consecutive Premier League title up to that point, before City's form fell off a cliff.
Things have improved since City's damaging run of nine defeats and just one win from 13 matches in all competitions from 30 October to 26 December, which ended thoughts of another title challenge.
Pep Guardiola moved to bolster his squad in January and while his side's form continues to fluctuate, there are green shoots of recovery...
Man City v Leicester (Wed, 19:45 BST)
Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter
A Manchester City supporters group has called for fans not to go into tomorrow night's game against Leicester until the ninth minute of the game.
This is to tie in with their general criticism over ticket prices and the fact City now have nine agreements with various resale companies, the latest an official deal with Viagogo.
They want fans to meet close to the statues outside the Colin Bell stand at 1900 BST and have urged fans not to buy food or merchandise, and withdraw from the EFL Cup ticket scheme.
We are expecting plenty of updates this afternoon as more Premier League managers attend their news conferences shortly.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will be up next as he looks ahead to Wednesday's meeting with strugglers Leicester City at around 12:30 BST.
We will then hear from David Moyes as Everton prepare for the Merseyside derby against Liverpool at Anfield.
Also due to speak through the afternoon are Aston Villa's Unai Emery, Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola, Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner, Southampton's Ivan Juric and Brentford's Thomas Frank.
We will also have live coverage of Tuesday's three Premier League matches - Arsenal v Fulham, Wolves v West Ham and Nottingham Forest v Man Utd - on the BBC Sports website later today.
#bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)
The toxicity of this Trent Alexander-Arnold saga is unbelievable. Not just from “heartbroken” or “betrayed” Liverpool fans but the way it’s been handled generally by the football community. Who would ever listen to anyone else when it comes down to choosing what’s best for them and their family when offered a once in a lifetime opportunity. So why begrudge Trent the same. The football community needs to have a word with itself and back off.
Tom
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 21 | 7 | 1 | 69 | 27 | 42 | 70 |
| |
| 30 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 55 | 25 | 30 | 61 |
| |
| 30 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 50 | 35 | 15 | 57 |
| |
| 29 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 53 | 37 | 16 | 49 |
| |
| 29 | 14 | 6 | 9 | 55 | 40 | 15 | 48 |
| |
| 28 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 47 | 38 | 9 | 47 |
| |
| 29 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 48 | 42 | 6 | 47 |
| |
| 30 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 44 | 40 | 4 | 45 |
| |
| 29 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 41 | 45 | -4 | 45 |
| |
| 29 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 48 | 36 | 12 | 44 |
| |
| 29 | 12 | 5 | 12 | 50 | 45 | 5 | 41 |
| |
| 28 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 36 | 33 | 3 | 39 |
| |
| 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 37 | 41 | -4 | 37 |
| |
| 29 | 10 | 4 | 15 | 55 | 43 | 12 | 34 |
| |
| 29 | 7 | 13 | 9 | 32 | 36 | -4 | 34 |
| |
| 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 33 | 50 | -17 | 34 |
| |
| 30 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 41 | 58 | -17 | 29 |
| |
| 29 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 28 | 62 | -34 | 17 |
| |
| 29 | 4 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 65 | -40 | 17 |
| |
| 29 | 2 | 3 | 24 | 21 | 70 | -49 | 9 |
|
