And let's switch back to Manchester for a final few words from Louis van Gaal.

Asked if it would be a big disappointment not to make top four, Van Gaal replies, perhaps unsurprisingly: "Of course. When you start the season with objective of finishing in the first four of the league you are occupied with doing that.

"But we are still there, I don't know why are we talking about when we are still there. What is the problem?"

'Do you need to beat Sunderland?', he's asked.

"Not because of this game, because I want to mention that last year Sunderland has won everything against Manchester United. They have lost also a league cup match, but after penalties they have beaten, so you have lose also.

"It is like we [Holland] draw also against Argentina in the semi-final, but in the end we are not in the final, so we have lost. I could say that, yes, we didn't lose, but with penalties you have lost."

Right, we're just off for a lie-down...

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has said they have no injury concerns and they have a fully fit squad to choose from.

Image source, Getty Images

Ahead of Sunday's match against Brendan Rodger's side, he said it was "very important to beat Liverpool, they are a strong team and it's a difficult stadium. We will try to attack [them] from the start of the game".

On the topic of City's potential title defence, Pellegrini said, "We must keep fighting until the end and as soon as we close the gap (on Chelsea) it's better for us".

Back to London and a final few words from Jose Mourinho.

He says Matic (suspended) and Mikel (injured) are the only players who will miss Sunday's Wembley showdown with Spurs.

Asked if he was pleased other English clubs have struggled in Europe - including Tottenham, knocked out of the Europa League last night - Mourinho replied: "People in this country forget we need English teams to succeed in Europe and to win matches and I'm never happy when an English team loses in Europe. I work in this country and I may be affected in the future by that."

And that's that from the Chelsea boss. Quite talkative all things considered.

Now before you read this next bit, take a deep breath and concentrate hard.

Image source, Getty Images

Asked about United's record over the last 15 games, Van Gaal replied - and we quote: "We have discussed in the last press conference, you have said it, not I, from the last 15 matches, that we have had the best result. I don't say that, but now I am reading that I have said, no, I have answered yes, I know, because I know that, you are writing that. But when you are writing the other way around, you are not being fair because you are pushing that we were the best, you have made comment on that."

Got that? Good.

Louis van Gaal speaks about Tyler Blackett's new contract.

"When I came here there they told me that they wanted to have more youth academy players in the first-team and also there is the rule in the Premier League that you must have a certain amount of players in your own squad - that is also important," the Reds boss said.

Image source, Getty Images

"I am happy that we can sign players from our youth academy and our players are very popular.

"We also have a lot of youngsters out on loan and we can pick and select the clubs where the players can play every week.

"That is a strategy. I believe in players that you have educated in your own youth academy - maybe that is the reason I am sat here."

Naturally, after Mourinho's last little snippet, a journo asks what he means by those players that like to "complicate things".

Mourinho answers before the press officer can open his mouth. "Some players simulate every two or three matches. You know who they are so you don't need me to say who they are," says the boss.

The Chelsea manager, though, does hold his tongue when asked to comment on the reduction of Nemanja Matic's ban from three games to two - something Chelsea are fuming with as they think he shouldn't be banned at all.

Image source, Getty Images

"If I give you my views it is bad for me. If I speak about it again I promise you I will be in big trouble," Mourinho says.

What about Ashley Barnes escaping punishment (for the tackle on Matic)?: "I can't comment."

*Press officer breathes a sigh of relief*

A journalist tries to ask Jose about referees.

'Erm, we can't talk about officials in the build-up to the game, it's not in the competition's rules,' Chelsea's press officer interjects.

But then, presumably much to the press officer's frustration, Mourinho answers anyway.

"I don't believe that anyone involved in this game doesn't want to do his best," he says.

"I believe all three teams (Chelsea, Spurs, the officials) will go with the same ambition - to do very well and hopefully even the players that like to complicate things, hopefully they will try to make the final a big final."

Jose Mourinho is reminded that it is 10 years exactly since he won his first trophy as Chelsea manager - the League Cup.

He doesn't really comment on that but does make a point of saying how much he likes the competition and suggests he has changed the way English clubs view the League Cup.

Image source, Getty Images

"I respect every competition. It would be easy to say we didn't take FA Cup seriously because we lost against Bradford but we take every competition seriously," he said.

"Probably lots of teams have followed us since 2005 when we took the League Cup as a real competition, as a real challenge, and we were trying to reach finals and trying to win.

"Liverpool and us gave it everything in the semi-final. It is a big competition."

Well, Jose appears to be in good form today. No short answers to questions and no sulky faces.

Image source, Getty Images

First up, the Chelsea boss is asks what the knock-on effect might be of either winning or losing at Wembley.

"I just think about the moment. Only this game. We have a final to win and nothing else matters," he replies.

"I don't think if we win the Cup final we will win the league, or if we lose it we will lose the league.

"It is just a game we have to play and after that the Cup talk is over. If we go home with the Cup and the medal, perfect. But no consequences - we just carry on. There is no time to think about consequences."

"Perfectamento!"

Image source, Fernando Alonso Youtube

After his high speed crash in testing last week, McLaren Honda driver Fernando Alonso has posted a video on Youtube, reassuring his fans he is "completely fine" and would love to be taking part in testing in Barcelona.

He has been advised by doctors to "wait a little bit- a couple of days". He then says he will keep us all updated on his progress and thanks everyone for all the support.

What a nice chap!

The Chelsea gaffer has just settled into his seat and is about to take questions from the media ahead of Sunday's Wembley game.

Let's see what mood he is today...

LVG - you know who we mean by that don't you? Good - also spoke about the battle to finish in the top four.

The United boss said it was 'a rat race between five clubs', that finishing in top four was 'objective from start of season' but that it was a three year project.

He added that he would have settled for this position 'in spite of all the criticism' and it would be a 'disappointment' if they didn't make it.

Image source, Getty Images

From Switzerland to Manchester where it's bad news for Man United boss Louis van Gaal. He has confirmed striker Robin van Persie will be out for at least two weeks with an ankle injury.

Van Persie, 31, suffered the injury in last week's defeat at Swansea.

"He is injured," said Van Gaal. "It is an ankle problem. I do not think it is very heavy but ankle problems can take a long time.

"It is not one or two weeks"

The Europa League draw is compete. Here it is in full...

Everton v Dynamo Kiev, Dnipro v Ajax, Zenit St Petersburg v Torino, Wolfsburg v Inter Milan, Villarreal v Sevilla, Napoli v Dinamo Moscow, Club Brugge v Besiktas, Fiorentina v Roma.

The games takes place on 12 and 19 March.

A little stat ... Everton Romelu Lukaku is the top scorer among the 16 sides left in the Europa League, with six goals since the start of the group stage.

Right, after much talking by various Uefa folk, the draw is finally taking place.

Image source, Getty Images

And Everton are first out of the hat ... and will face Dynamo Kiev. The first game is at Goodison Park on 12 March with the return leg a week later.

Nine different nations are represented in the Europa League last-16 draw, which is just getting under way now in Nyon in Switzerland.

Everton are the sole British representatives, after Liverpool, Tottenham and Celtic were sent tumbling out last night.

As well as the Toffees, the likes of Ajax, Besiktas, and last season's Europa League winners Sevilla are in the hat - though it's not really a hat, more a strange-looking glass machine that looks not unlike the kind of thing mad scientists used for experiments in old black and white B movies.

We'll let you know who draws who as soon as it happens.

A final line emerging from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's chat with the media earlier.

After the Gunners performance against Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday was almost universally criticised, Wenger said: "What is hurting is the defeat more than the criticism.

Image source, Getty Images

"I do not say I am immune to it. I love to win and when I don't win, I am hurt of course.

"We have to live with that criticism and of course when you come out from a disappointing game like Wednesday night, you don't expect people to applaud. It is absolutely normal that we get criticised."

BBC Humberside Sport, external: Hull FC's Steve Michaels is reportedly wanted for arrest in Australia in connection with a drugs scandal at his old club, Gold Coast Titans.

We all know the best sportsmen and women start young.

But Chinese President Xi Jinping wants to take it to the next level, and start training the country's football stars of the future from birth.

Image source, Getty Images

Just how they'll learn to head a ball and do kick-ups aged six months is unclear as yet, but the Government has approved the country's "football reform plan" and says being good at football is the "ardent wish of the whole nation".

Xi is a keen football fan and has spoken of "three wishes" for China; to qualify for another World Cup, to host a World Cup and to eventually win one.

China are 82nd in the world rankings. But in 20 or so years it could be very different, at least if President Xi gets his way.