Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal is talking about his side's Europa League last-16, first-leg tie at Anfield on Thursday.

He says: "Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal are playing in the Champions League so there are six clubs representing the Premier League (in Europe) and you have to be very proud of that. Not many leagues have clubs participating at that high level.  

"Football in England is very deep in the lives of people. That is one aspect why I wanted to come here - to have that experience. You can see the heart of the club and also the feeling they are with you every game - it's nice for the players and the manager.

"When you play in the Euro League it is likely you play against clubs from other countries, but now we play against the same teams that we normally play in the Premier League and it's a signal that the Premier League is strong."

Even when they win 0-4 in the FA Cup there's bad news for Arsenal.

Pat Nevin says the Gunners' Premier League title chances are fading due to their growing injury list, which became swollen further against Hull as Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and Gabriel all added their names at the KC Stadium.

Listen to the rest of the team's thoughts in BBC Radio 5 live's Football Daily Podcast here (or use the link in the tweet).

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal is asked whether his side playing Liverpool in the Europa League is an indication of how far both teams have fallen.

The United boss is not convinced, and says: "In football it is normal. It is not usual for a team to dominate for 20 years. It was another time, you live in the past, you have to live in the present.

"Several people are thinking they are the enemy, but I don't think like that. I think they are an opponent and we want to beat that opponent." 

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal says some of his players are returning to fitness but might not be ready to face Liverpool in the Europa League on Thursday. 

"I shall always make the line-up the strongest I can for the opponent," says the Dutchman. "Nevertheless, I sometimes put youngsters in the line-up, but I think it is the best solution.

"Valencia is coming back, Bastian Schweinsteiger is coming back, a lot of players will come back in March, when they come back it is not so easy to see if they can cope with the rhythm of the match. 

"They are fit to train but, for example, Schweinsteiger only has one training session behind his back. Valencia is fit enough to be on the bench, but to play 90 minutes? I don't think so."

Image source, Getty Images

As always, there's plenty of transfer news and talk of managerial comings and goings in various media outlets. Here's a selection of today's gossip. 

As well as Benitez, former Manchester United manager David Moyes is also being considered as a potential successor to McClaren. (Sky Sports), external

Ex-Newcastle striker Micky Quinn says everyone at the club - including the owner, managing director, chief scout, head coach and players - are to blame for their predicament. (Newcastle Chronicle), external

Manchester City are already looking at replacements for incoming manager Pep Guardiola - if the Spaniard walks away at the end of his contract in 2019.(Daily Mirror), external

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

"A European press conference with a difference at Manchester United this morning.

"When United played all-England Champions League ties at Arsenal and Chelsea, they did their press conference in London and stayed in the capital ahead of what turned out to be successful trips in 2009 and 2011.

"This time, all preparations for tomorrow's Europa League last-16 first leg tie at Liverpool are being conducted at United's Carrington training base and Louis van Gaal's side with remain in Manchester overnight.

"After hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League through the Premier League were hit with a defeat at West Brom on Sunday, Europe again looks like United's best chance of getting back into the competition.

"But this is a trophy United have never won - or even got further than the quarter-finals in - and that was in the 1980s, when it was known as the UEFA Cup. 

Maria Sharapova's failed drugs test and Arsenal's FA Cup victory over Hull are the main headlines on the back page of the Independent. 

Paul Newman writes: "The number of questions Maria Sharapova will have to answer following her failed drugs test was growing last night as some of the Russian’s biggest sponsors distanced themselves from a player who 24 hours earlier had been the most marketable woman in world sport."

Image source, The Independent

The Daily Mirror also reports that Newcastle want Rafael Benitez to take over as Magpies boss. 

"No deal has been done and while Benitez has yet to turn down the opportunity, he needs convincing about the powers he would have to reshape the club in the long run," the paper says., external

Image source, Daily Mirror

"Your Tyne, Rafa," proclaims The Sun. Very clever. 

Former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez "tops a seven-man shortlist for the Newcastle job — with Steve McClaren a dead man walking," the paper reports. , external

Image source, The Sun

The front page of the Daily Mail says Maria Sharapova's failed drugs test could cost the five-time Grand Slam champion £100m. 

Image source, Daily Mail

"Sharapova was warned five times," is the headline in the Times, referring to the new drug ban which led to Maria Sharapova failing a doping test. 

Image source, The Times

Arsenal's 4-0 FA Cup win over Hull and Maria Sharapova share the limelight on the backpage of the Daily Express. 

"In a match that Wenger simply had to win after going five games without one, Frenchman Giroud set Arsenal on the road to victory with a goal they did not deserve," writes Ross Heppenstall., external

Image source, Daily Express

"Baby Boom" is the Daily Star's, external headline, referring to new dad Olivier Giroud celebrating the birth of his second child with two goals against Hull in the FA Cup fifth-round replay.

Image source, Daily Star

Maria Sharapova is on the front page of the Guardian, too. 

Owen Gibson says:, external "In a world where we celebrate legally acquired “marginal gains” in high-performance sport but rightly damn those who fall foul of anti-doping rules that fall the other side of the line, Sharapova’s dramatic mea culpa, external raises some pretty tough questions, not only for the Russian tennis player but also for sport more generally."

Image source, the Guardian

The Metro, external focuses on Arsenal's 4-0 win over Hull in the FA Cup fifth-round replay, while also reporting that Zlatan Ibrahimovic could move to the Premier League.

Image source, Metro

It isn't a question of what's on the back pages today but who's on the front pages as Maria Sharapova's face dominates today's Daily Telegraph. 

"The rush to exonerate and even praise Maria Sharapova for her story-owning “honesty”, external shows what the anti-doping movement is up against," writes the paper's chief sports writer Paul Hayward. 

Image source, Daily Telegraph

Sport? Today? Of course there is. 

There's plenty for us to chew on over the next 10 hours as we start up sportsday, get the engine revving, for a merry cruise along whatever sporty highway we care to visit, picking up tit-bits, gossip and inside information along the way. 

Hop on board and first we'll peek at what the national newspapers have to tell us. 

Image source, Getty Images