Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has now finished his news conference but we have plenty more quotes to bring you.

His thoughts on Darwin Nunez coming up...

Liverpool

Liverpool boss Arne Slot on facing Manchester City: "What I always expect from City since Pep [Guardiola] is there is a great football team that can play so well. They've had maybe one or two months since the seven or eight years he's there now that maybe weren't the best - partly because of injuries as well.

"They have signed three or four players and I can see them coming back already if you look at the result against Newcastle. What you expect is what everyone expects if you go to the Etihad if you play against City.

"You have to suffer as well and work really hard to keep them away from your goal because they are so, so good in possession. But they face a strong team as well that have not lost in 22 games now."

Liverpool

Arne Slot said that "we will see" when asked if Cody Gakpo would be fit to face Manchester City on Sunday.

The Liverpool manager said that his Netherlands forward has not yet trained with the team and his fitness would have to be assessed, adding that it would be a "close call".

He also confirmed that Joe Gomez has had surgery on his hamstring injury, but the England defender could be back before the end of the season.

Slot also said he does not expect Conor Bradley to be fit for the next two games - against City and Newcastle.

More to follow.

Liverpool

Liverpool boss Arne Slot on Arsenal playing before Liverpool and how it impacts the Manchester City game: "The bigger question is from Man City. We play a strong team again, like we did [Aston] Villa. Arsenal play before us, but that doesn't make the game more difficult.

"We know we have 12 games to play, Arsenal has 13 games to play. If we constantly look at Arsenal and what other teams are doing then that will not help us. We know already how difficult it is to go to the Etihad, so we don't need Arsenal to get involved in that even more."

Liverpool

Arne Slot started by dismissing the impact of title challengers Arsenal playing first this weekend, saying a win or a defeat for the Gunners would not change the challenge they face at Manchester City on Sunday.

Remember, Arsenal play against West Ham on Saturday.

Slot also said that he could accept Darwin Nunez's miss against Villa, but was less happy with his striker's reaction to the disappointment.

More to follow.

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot normally starts his news conference with a spot of team news.

We will bring you the latest update on Cody Gakpo's availability as soon as we get it.

Slot said he was close to a return before the Aston Villa match, will the Dutch forward be ready for Sunday's trip to Manchester City?

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool

Right, it's time to switch our thinking from Wednesday's draw at Aston Villa to Liverpool's next challenge - the small matter of a trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City on Sunday.

We expect to hear from Reds manager Arne Slot any time now...

Image source, Getty Images

Ahhh, loving the power of positive thinking, Sam. Shall we re-phrase the poll to 'one point gained/two points deleted'?

Liverpool

Image source, Getty Images

On the question of Darwin Nunez's missed chance, Ken has a different opinion:

Should Nunez have hit an open target? Yes. Should Nunez have had the opportunity to hit the target? No. Szoboszlai was in a far better position to shoot but opted to pass on the responsibility. Players need to step up in these big moments and not shy away.

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Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool are still eight points clear at the top of the table, so the big alarm button is not being pressed just yet. However, the Reds' leaky defence is causing a few nervous glances over the shoulder.

In the past 13 Premier League matches, the Reds have conceded 18 goals; the games with Newcastle, Manchester United and Everton all drawn from winning positions after late equalisers.

Liverpool's opening 13 games in contrast were a tighter affair, with just eight goals conceded.

Virgil van Dijk told TNT Sports: "We had chances to win the game, took a bit of a risk at the end so it got more open at times.

"In possession we did quite well, created good opportunities to score the second. Disappointing to concede from a set-piece. We tried everything and unfortunately it wasn't enough for three points."

Thanks Joe - well I'm surrounded by children, it's half-term, what could go wrong?

Let's bunker down for the Liverpool news conference and leave the outside world behind.

Are you with me?

That would be epic.

Now then, Craig is taking over. Be nice to him, he might be even more sleep deprived than me, who knows?

Liverpool

Image source, Getty Images

Darwin Nunez arrived at Liverpool from Benfica in 2022 on a six-year contract for a club-record £85m; the huge fee the Uruguay international coming with big expectation.

Nunez has shown flashes of his potential but after his miss at Villa Park last night, fans' patience may have finally run out for the 25-year-old.

We asked for your thoughts on Nunez, here are some of your comments:

Mark: Nunez needs to go he is not good enough for Liverpool, chances wasted by him at an alarming rate.

Ruhel: Nunez's missed chances probably cost Klopp's team a league title last season. His abysmal finishing will probably cost Slot's team a league title this season.

Sam: Nunez's miss sums him up. Surely he's going in the summer he's not good enough. He's had plenty of time now, time to move on!

Ryan: Really, really tired of Nunez now. Not just based on today. Yes, he 'works hard', but he's playing for Liverpool in the Premier League. That shouldn't be a brag, it's mandatory. He's a very poor finisher and has been the star of his own catalogue of missed opportunities. He needs offloading and replacing this summer.

Liam: I just cannot understand the persistence and logic behind playing Darwin Nunez every single game? That miss tonight is one of the worst I have seen all season and I have seen nothing so far that indicates he has the ability to play for a club top of the Premier League.

I won't bring up the paper cut on my right index finger then. That's my stronger hand, too.

Hello, it's 10:00 GMT and in 30 minutes or so Arne Slot will be talking to the media.

We're chatting Aston Villa, Liverpool, Darwin Nunez and the title race right now.

Plus, was a draw at Villa a point gained or two points dropped for Liverpool?