Liverpool

Ahead of Saturday's match against Bournemouth, Arne Slot spoke about Darwin Nunez, who is 'getting fitter and fitter' for Liverpool.

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Earlier this week, Manchester City midfielder Rodri gained attention for calling out the number of fixtures in the schedules of elite footballers in Europe.

On Friday, Liverpool manager Arne Slot was asked about the same topic after he revealed that Reds goalkeeper Alisson was a doubt for Saturday's game against Bournemouth.

"We are thinking about what's to come. We are aware of the fact it's a long season," replied the Dutchman.

"The main difference between the Premier League to Europe is we have to play at Christmas and New Year.

"We need a lot of players and we take that into account when making a line-up."

Jonty Colman
BBC Sport journalist

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Bournemouth (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On goalkeeper Alisson's fitness: "Alisson is a doubt to see if he can train today and if he can’t, then he will probably not play as well. He has a slight issue with one of his muscles - we wonder if this game tomorrow is coming too early."

• Slot also confirmed that Harvey Elliott is his only other injury concern.

• On facing Bournemouth: "They’ve started off quite well. A win away against the neighbours caught my eye the most because they were 2-0 down so late. [Andoni] Iraola has done a tremendous job: nice football to watch, he develops players [and] has a nice playing style. All credits for him, but hopefully, we can manage to do better against Bournemouth tomorrow than we did against Nottingham Forest last week."

• On managing Cherries duo Luis Sinisterra and Marco Senesi at Feyenoord when his side reached the Europa Conference League final: "Only positive memories, except for one moment. We had a great season. Luis is a winger that I like because he dominates one v one, can score a goal and he has always had a lot of impact."

• On the fixture schedule: "Until now, I haven’t seen anything different from what I was used to at my former clubs. This upcoming week is different when we play the League Cup and then there is playing during Christmas and New Year. Those moments are the biggest difference between this league and every other league.

• On the strength of teams across the Premier League compared to in Europe: "The quality of the league and the likes of Bournemouth is much, much higher than if you play against a team that doesn’t play for the top-six positions."

• On what Darwin Nunez needs to get into contention: "Same like all of the others, work really hard and the goals will come. Attackers score goals or assist and that’s what happened with Cody [Gakpo] and before with Lucho (Diaz) and Mo (Salah) and with Diogo (Jota). If you play in a team like Liverpool, you will always score your goals or get your assists."

• On the main competition for Nunez: "He will get his chance in the near future - we play a lot of games and I think he is fitter and fitter now. He understands better day by day what we expect from him, but he’s in competition with Diogo, who in mine and our opinion, has done really well in the last games."

Full commentary of Liverpool v Bournemouth from 15:00 BST on Saturday on BBC Radio 5 Live

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

Can you name the four players who have scored more than 100 goals in the Premier League for Liverpool?

Answer will be revealed at 17:00 BST

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The issue around the footballing calendar and the demands being placed on players right now is a difficult one.

First, we need to take into consideration the really high demands on the body that go on all-year round with few breaks, especially for international footballers and those in teams competing on multiple fronts.

I know the men's and the women's games are different, but we got exposed to these issues when we went from amateur to professional. There was a lot of loading, a lot of games and the result of that was a higher risk of injury and we have seen a lot of anterior cruciate ligament injuries now in the women's game.

From the fans' side, their point is often that players get paid a lot of money but I think that is irrelevant. That is just the industry players are in and, if you take out the money, they are still human beings.

The governing bodies need to look at who they consult with about changes in the calendar such as World Cups being held in winter and summers where there is just a couple of weeks off before going straight back into it. The changes and fixtures that are put in are there to generate more money, which makes it difficult. As a business, it is about money.

We talk about mental health a lot and you wonder, where is the time to switch off and have that time away from playing? To have that family time which is a deep human need? At some point mentally, if not physically, it will take its toll.

None of us want to see players striking, but players need to be listened to. What do they need to do to make change happen?

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

Mandeep Sanghera
BBC Sport journalist

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It has been a week of fluctuating fortunes for Liverpool boss Arne Slot.

From the disappointment of losing 1-0 at home to Nottingham Forest to celebrating his birthday with a win at AC Milan in the Champions League.

The Dutchman will be hoping the lacklustre performance against Forest after the international break was a one-off and his side can get back to winning ways in the league when they host Bournemouth on Saturday.

Slot will be speaking to the media at about 09:00 BST this morning to look ahead to the game against the Cherries, with his side in need of a victory to reassert their form at home.

Going back to last season, the Reds have lost two of their past five Premier League games at Anfield, having been beaten in just one of their previous 58 home league games prior to that run.

Slot also faces a tough selection dilemma when it comes to the left wing. Cody Gakpo impressed when he replaced Luis Diaz in that position against Milan so will he stick with his compatriot or recall the Colombian?

Also, Federico Chiesa came on as a late substitute in Italy so is he ready for more game time?

We’ll get to ask Slot about that, and plenty more, soon.

Liverpool are considering Juventus and Brazil centre-back Gleison Bremer, 27, as their ideal replacement for captain Virgil van Dijk, 33. (Teamtalk), external

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Bournemouth (26) have had more shots from outside the box than any other side in the Premier League this season. Liverpool’s only goal conceded so far this term has come from distance, while 39% of the overall shots they’ve faced have come from outside the box (11/28).

On Tuesday, Liverpool began their Champions League campaign with an impressive 3-1 win in Italy against AC Milan.

Watch highlights and analysis below...

See all of this season's Champions League goals on the BBC Sport website and app, and watch highlights on BBC iPlayer

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Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside, Liverpool fan Abigail Rudkin believes that during the Reds' opening Champions League fixture on Tuesday night, there was a different attitude from the players who lost against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Having gone 1-0 down against AC Milan, Rudkin said: "I think the players had in their minds that 'we've got loads of time here' to come back from this.

"We didn't look like after the Forest game that there was any sort of belief there. It looked as if everyone thought 'that's it, we've lost it,' even when we had time left".

Rudkin put the mental resilience that was shown from the Reds down to their former manager, stating: "How could you let go of the belief that Jurgen's built into those players? It's been instilled into them for such a long time."

Rudkin also sees a likeness between Klopp and his successor Arne Slot, suggesting: "It looks as though he has got a similar ethos in a lot of ways."

Listen to the full clip from BBC Radio Merseyside here

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Liverpool have pretensions of keeping up with Manchester City but slip ups like the weekend's against Nottingham Forest can’t happen again. At the beginning of the past few seasons when asked about who I thought would win the Premier League, the answer has always been Manchester City and that was before Erling Haaland was added to the mix.

It is pointless going on yet again about the Norwegian superhero as I have run out of superlatives for his scoring style. He was at it again against Brentford and could easily have scored five or six instead of two, due to the woodwork and some fine goalkeeping.

This is what Liverpool seem to lack right now. Well, they do when Mohamed Salah doesn’t score. The Reds are a fine side and Arne Slot should be given plenty of time, but are they really a threat to City in the league this season? Currently I doubt it.

Sign up to read more from Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter here

Real Sociedad and Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi regrets not moving to Liverpool and wants the Reds to come back in for him. (Estadio Deportivo - in Spanish), external

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With the Champions League having got under way this week - you can watch highlights of every game on the BBC.

From 22:00 BST on the Wednesday of Champions League matchweeks, there will be game-by-game highlights available on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app - plus a highlights show on BBC One at 22:40.

Catch up now on BBC iPlayer

Mike Hughes
BBC Radio Merseyside reporter

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If defeat by Nottingham Forest was a sharp reminder of what is always likely to happen when performance standards drop below expected levels, then Liverpool's Champions League win at AC Milan was also further evidence of just how good this squad is.

While clearly not the footballing force of old, Milan did finish second in Serie A last season and boast a squad rich in talent. Yet, despite taking an early lead, they were forced into submission long before the referee's final whistle.

Liverpool exerted control and authority in all the key areas of the pitch. Their attacking movement and front play in general was a constant menace. Three goals at one of the old cathedrals of European football was actually scant reward for just how dominant Arne Slot's team were.

But as much as he will be satisfied with Tuesday's work, Slot will still be trying to get to grips with what happened at Anfield on Saturday and, more pertinently, the reason why.

These are very early days of a new era. Different managers have different qualities and different footballing styles. When teams have been used to playing a certain way for the best part of a decade under one coach, clearly it will take time to get used to the contrasting tactics and requirements of another.

Four wins from five matches is a more than decent start, but even though football perfection cannot be reached, the search for it will continue anyway.

Bournemouth at Anfield, on paper at least, is an eminently winnable game for Liverpool - but it also poses inherent dangers.

Andoni Iraola is one of the brightest young managers in the Premier League and he has turned the Cherries into a team capable of causing problems for the division's big hitters. They press aggressively and can break with pace.

After the misstep against Forest, Slot's pre-match message to his players on Saturday will be about ensuring they do not again fall below the standard expected of them.

Listen to Total Sport Merseyside from 18:00 on weeknights and find details here of live Liverpool match commentaries on BBC Radio Merseyside

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Trent Alexander-Arnold has said Tuesday's victory at AC Milan was "an unbelievable result" at a "special venue".

Speaking to CBS Sports after the game, he said: "This club belongs in the Champions League with the history that it's had and last year [was] disappointing not being a part of it.

"But we're back were we belong and [there is] no better way to get this campaign started than getting a win at the San Siro - a special venue, a special stadium and an unbelievable result."

Alexander-Arnold also gave an insight into Arne Slot's style, saying: "It changes fluidly throughout games depending on how the opponents press us.

"There is a lot of tactical changes within games - where to go, where not to go, when to stay wide, when to drop into the backline, when to go into midfield, when to be kind of like a number eight or when Mo [Salah] rolls inside and I'm a high winger.

“There’s all different variations and he gives us that information throughout the week, throughout the game, leading up to the game.

"He paints scenarios so we have answers for everything, so it’s kind of like: ‘OK, if they press this way then this is where we’re going to be positioned and if they press a different way then we’ll position ourselves a different way.'

"There’s a solution to every problem that they pose ."

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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, speaking about the goals scored from set-pieces by himself and fellow centre-back Ibrahima Konate at AC Milan on Tuesday:

"We try in every game to be important at set-pieces. In the last game against Forest, I had two chances. The thing is, it looks easier than what it is.

"Me and Ibou are both 6ft 4ins or whatever and we should score from every ball that comes into the box, but sometimes you get double-marked and the delivery is not always perfect and you have to fight for it.

"But we were there and you see how important it can be. Ibou's goal was big and my goal before the break was a big help and kept us going for the second half."

On Cody Gakpo's impressive display: "Last year he played very good games as well - I don't think you should forget that.

"The last couple of weeks, apart from going to the national team, I've seen what he can produce and we all know what he can produce, but when you play one game a week and players - in this case Luis Diaz - did very well then you have to be patient.

"We need everyone to be at their best and you saw he could make a difference with crosses and an assist as well. We need everyone and this was a good example of that."

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Former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast about Ryan Gravenberch's impressive start to the season at the base of the Reds' midfield:

"I was in Philadelphia with the team [in pre-season]. I spoke to Gravenberch there on the training ground and I told him this was going to be his year. Arne Slot brings the full potential out of the players - and especially the younger players.

"This is the Gravenberch from Ajax - this is how he plays. He went to Bayern Munich and they didn't use him, or didn't feel he was that good- but we know how good he is.

"Arne uses the number six in the build-up and it suits him [Gravenberch] perfectly.

"He's still young and he can't play as man of the match every week, but Tuesday was a great display of his potential."

Listen to more Champions League reaction on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast via BBC Sounds

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Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock explained to BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast about the tactical changes that swung the Reds' Champions League opener at AC Milan in their favour:

"It's something that's been highlighted from Arne Slot's time at Feyenoord - his understanding and tactical ability to change games. He did it within the first 15 minutes - it's impressive that he was able to do that.

"The result itself hinged on those tactical changes because of the dominance of AC Milan in the first 15 minutes. They were cutting through Liverpool at will and finding things very easy, but once that change was made, Liverpool dominated."

Listen to more reaction on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Champions League game between AC Milan and Liverpool.

Here are some of your comments:

Marilyn: Bit of an early wobble, but then we played some very entertaining football. Our Reds looked strong, energetic and like they were enjoying their game. Well done lads!

Geoff: An encouraging performance after a shock start - we didn’t panic, played controlled football and bossed the game in an intimidating atmosphere. The two headed goals gave us the lift we needed after going behind, both cleverly taken by our main defenders. Let’s not get overexcited though - Milan aren’t currently the team they once were.

Ruairi: Great response to going down 1-0 within five minutes. Played especially well in the first half! AC Milan were poor but Liverpool dominated. Kostas Tsimikas and Cody Gakpo have Slot nice headaches for future selection. Happy fan!

Arron: Was a really good performance tonight. Defensively we look better tenfold than we have for years. Ryan Gravenberch has been an absolute sensation so far, and supports the defence. We were naive against Nottingham Forest, thinking they wouldn't pose a threat and just waiting to score. Glad we got that out our system early on.

Daniel: That’s more like it. Using the frustration of the loss against Forest last weekend as motivation to beat AC Milan. Although we started off slowly and went a goal down immediately, thankfully we were able to keep it going and get the win in the end. Great start and further momentum for Bournemouth on Saturday!

Ken: The Dutch once again ruled the San Siro as Messrs Van Dijk, Gravenberch and Gakpo unwittingly paid homage to Messrs Rijkaard, Gullit and Van Basten! Got a bit sloppy towards the end but it was a tremendous response after the early setback. The whole team played well to get the campaign off to a great start.