Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi on Evan Ferguson's fitness: "I've not decided yet about Evan. I'd like him to be able to play at his best. On Sunday (against Bournemouth) he wasn't in his best physical condition, but he wanted to play."

On facing former Brighton players in the Chelsea squad: "I'm always happy to meet my former players. I will hug them with pleasure."

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Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto de Zerbi was asked about Chelsea's form in his press conference: "It's not my team and I can't say anything. They deserve more points, watching their games.

"We have big respect for [Mauricio] Pochettino and Chelsea. They have a great squad. It could be a very tough game for us."

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Brighton & Hove Albion

Shall we hear from Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi next? Why not...

Brentford

Brentford manager Thomas Frank on team news, starting with an update on German winger Kevin Schade, who was injured in the warm-up before Saturday's 3-1 defeat at home to Everton: "He's got an adductor injury that means unfortunately he will have surgery that he will get later this week.

"We have big expectations and I think he was starting to show some of his fantastic abilities, latest with the goal against Crystal Palace. That is a blow but this is football. There will be challenges that we need to work our way through and we will."

On Ben Mee and Mikel Damsgaard: "No [they are no closer]. Ben Mee will be some weeks with the muscle injuries. Damsgaard is seeing a knee specialist today."

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Brentford

Brentford manager Thomas Frank also spoke about goalkeeper David Raya, who is on loan at Arsenal: "I like David so much and I am so pleased he has played the last three games for Arsenal and I think he has done very well.

"For us as a club it is fantastic that we have developed a player from the Championship to the top of the League.

"I am very proud of his journey and hopefully we continue to do that with others. If he plays tomorrow, I will welcome him back, if not, I will do the same."

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Brentford

Brentford manager Thomas Frank speaking about Ivan Toney ahead of the Arsenal game, amid reports the Gunners are interested in making a move for the striker: "In January? I don't know. The only thing I am focusing on is the game tomorrow. We are preparing and trying to win those ahead and we are looking at not only striker. Let's see.

"For me as a coach, I don't want to sell him. Don't sell him. Ivan is a world-class player so why would you sell a world-class player? But it is not up to me to decide."

On the interest in Toney: "I think one of the most difficult things in football is to score goals. For a team or for a player, and there are not many who go past 20 goals in the Premier League. He is a top player so I understand why there is interest but I would like to keep him.

"Ivan is here now so I am only focused on making him better and ready for us in January."

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Brentford

We told you the news conferences would be coming thick and fast today.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank has been speaking before his side's EFL Cup tie at Arsenal.

Surprisingly enough, the Gunners' reported target Ivan Toney was mentioned...

Leicester City

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Kelechi Iheanacho says he is focused on getting Leicester City back to the Premier League after he failed to get a move away from the Foxes in the summer.

The 26-year-old had been linked with numerous top-flight clubs, including Everton and Nottingham Forest., external

Leicester reportedly wanted £18m, external for the Nigeria international striker, but now risk him leaving for free next summer when his contract expires.

"I didn't get to move and I'm here now playing for Leicester City," he said.

"We went down, it's not ideal but we are here now and fighting our way up. I'm here concentrating on my football with Leicester City and hopefully we will get back up and everyone will be happy.

"We concentrate on that now and hopefully other players that didn't get to move as well all contribute to the team to get up there, which is the most important thing now."

Click here for more content on Leicester City.

Liverpool

Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders on Curtis Jones' development and the competion for a starting spot: "Curtis, I am really proud because these boys were really young when they were in the Academy and now they have already played 100 games with Liverpool.

"If you see last season, the last 10 games of the season we changed our set-up and he gave the midfield energy. It was something that we really needed. He deserved games this season because of that.

"If you ask Curtis, he is happy Dominik [Szoboszlai] and Alexis [Mac Allister] are here and that is the scouse mentality - the team comes first."

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Liverpool

Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders speaking about the busy fixture schedule: "First, we want to win the game. That is our first thought. We know that even more with the style we have and the style we want - to put on pressure and play counter-pressure. But we know that takes a lot from the boys, not just physically but mentally. We need to make changes in this kind of period.

"Normally in the cup we give more changes and we give debuts. But we are not just here to give debuts, we are here to develop.

"I really feel - and Jota said it to me - the best thing in the season that we went for four competitions was that we stayed in the League Cup until the end because it gives a game every three days and the boys know they will have a game soon after."

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Fulham

Team news from Marco Silva: "Sasa Lukic is training with the team but it's too soon to be involved in the game. Adama Traore is still out and doing his recovery. Tosin Adarabioyo is also not available.

"We made six or seven changes [for our second-round victory] against Spurs. Tomorrow, we will probably make some changes too because everyone is working really hard. This group is really competitive."

Liverpool

Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders speaking about Caoimhin Kelleher's game time: "He has a long-term contract. For me he could play in any Premier League team. He is a world-class goalkeeper and needs game time and it is a good thing he stayed with us.

"We just are really happy he is with us because you want each position with two top ones. And top ones who can play in any game. We can put him in and the game will not change a lot. We are happy he is with us and hopefully that stays for a long time.

"It depends how players train and act in the room. You never get guaranteed games. You have to see that every training [session] is the last one of your life. If they show this, the door is open for them. We are so lucky that Premier League managers are not looking at our training! He has this talent to surprise and in training, [he does things and] you think 'how is that even possible?'"

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Liverpool

More from Pepijn Lijnders on 17-year-old talent Ben Doak, who signed a new long-term contract, external with the club last week: "He is young so a lot of things can happen. I have the privilege to grow up in Holland and we have this culture of tactical approach and the idea of having the wingers on the outside to disorganise the oppositions.

"This is what you guys still know, [Marc] Overmars and Arjen Robben. We have this culture of wingers and if you get a young winger from Scotland who has this capacity to create and reach the final line, it is nice to see. He comes into a squad with so many senior players and he will never make a side-step. The boys will tell him.

"He has this great, great low gravity where he can control the ball better and [at] the highest speed with his left and right foot. He needs to mature, he needs to listen to Robbo, to Salah and all these guys who are trying to help him. We as a club, for young players I think it is nice for them to be in our squad.

"It is good for younger players to have older players with this hunger and they can mentor them. Every good team has this balance of young talent and this core group of Trent, Diogo, Cody. And then seniors like Virgil van Dijk, Salah, Robbo, Alisson. That combination is what we always had and that's how we want to construct the squad."

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Fulham

Fulham manager Marco Silva, speaking at his news conference ahead of Wednesday's Carabao Cup tie against Championship side Norwich, started by discussing the form of Mexico striker Raul Jimenez.

"He is improving, he understands better what we want from him. He is playing because he is doing something right. He always gives his maximum, every single day."

Jimenez is yet to score for Fulham in seven appearances since his summer move from Wolves, but bagged three goals in two international friendlies earlier this month.

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Liverpool

Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders on Thiago and Trent Alexander-Arnold: "We missed Thiago, his qualities, He controls the middle, keeps the ball and we want him back in training. He is still not back in training but he is healing and he is individually on the pitch doing exercises on the pitch already. Time will tell.

"Trent, he was training yesterday in rondos and counter-pressing and he looked outstanding. But tomorrow comes too early for him."

Liverpool

Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders speaking about Mohamed Salah: "I spoke yesterday with Mo. He is breaking record after record and we have a very special player on our hands and a mentor as well. A leader.

"You see the skills, I see him in the building, I see him in the gym, coming in early. I see a real professional with experience as a man who can lead this team, without being the captain.

"It is special he is with us and every game he plays, we should cherish these players. He can create something out of nothing and he is an excellent person.

"When he smiles, I know that the ball will smile as well. He will decide games for us."

Liverpool

Liverpool supporters probably didn't need telling this, but assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders has been singing the praises of talisman Mohamed Salah.

"He's breaking record after record and we have a very, very special player in our hands," he said.

More on that in a moment.

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Liverpool

Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders speaking at his news conference ahead of Wednesday's Carabao Cup tie against Championship leaders Leicester City: "We know we are going to play against a team that has a lot of quality, shown with how they are doing in the league.

"This coach [Enzo Maresca] does an unbelievable job and I think each of them could play in the Premier League.

"It will be hard for us to deal with their players and also put them under pressure.

"As always, we will focus on ourselves. We will make changes but we want to be dominant and be in their half of the pitch. We need to stop them so the best way to do that is to high press. We have to defend and respect them."

Liverpool

Liverpool vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold has a hamstring injury and has not played for the club since their win over Aston Villa at the start of the month.

But Pepijn Lijnders told Liverpoolfc.com that he joined his team-mates in their training session on Monday.

“He is with the team training, I am not sure if he will be ready, we will see today," added Lijnders.

The Reds' assistant manager also said that Thiago Alcantara was "in a good way" as he bids to regain full fitness: "The healing process is going well so that’s the most important [thing] at this moment.”

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