Premier League news conferences: Howe and Slot with updates on Livramento & Alisson

Howe and his 'mixed feelings' about Anderson

Newcastle v Nott'm Forest (Sun, 14:00 BST)

Newcastle United

On Eddie Howe's mixed feelings about former Magpies midfielder Elliot Anderson - the England international played 55 times for boyhood club Newcastle and certainly did not leave the North East for Nottingham Forest because the manager thought he was not good enough.

Howe said on multiple occasions that the sale was more related to financial rules (Profit and Sustainability Regulations) and keeping the midfielder could had severe consequences for the club.

He was asked in his news conference if there was potential for Anderson to return to the club some day - but apart from admitting he would love for the player to return, he gave no indication either way as to whether it could happen or not.

'I am all in at Newcastle' - Howe on managerial links

Newcastle v Nott'm Forest (Sun, 14:00 BST)

Newcastle United

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe was asked about his long-term future at St James' Park, given links to the England managerial position last year and recent links to Manchester United: "My commitment is that I am all in, I am 100% here and always have been. My family are still here and we are fighting everyday to make a success of what we are doing.

"The season ahead could be a wonderful thing and that is what I want to focus on."

'Mixed feeling when I watch Anderson play' - Howe

Newcastle v Nott'm Forest (Sun, 14:00 BST)

Newcastle United

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe spoke highly about Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, who worked under Howe before switching to the City Ground: "I am delighted for him. Every time I watch him there is mixed feelings.

"I am very pleased for him personally and his family, just knowing what a great lad he is and how hard he has worked on his game. But you see how well he plays and that's where the mixed feelings come in, there is a regret that it is not for us.

"He is outstanding on the ball and a great techician. I love how brave he is. I hope his career continues to go from strength to strength."

Forest 'fans have already snapped'

Newcastle v Nott'm Forest (Sun, 14:00 BST)

Nick Mashiter

BBC Sport football news reporter

Ange Postecoglou has been in charge at Nottingham Forest for just 24 days but fans have already snapped.

Hands on his head, Postecoglou struck a lone figure on the side of the City Ground touchline after Valdemar Byskov's late goal put Midtjylland 3-1 up.

"Sacked in the morning" came the chant from the home supporters while a few waited at the end to boo Postecoglou when he walked down the tunnel.

Just 24 hours before it had still been positive with Morgan Gibbs-White asserting Forest would be "unstoppable" when it clicked. Sunday's trip to Newcastle now appears huge.

But the 3-2 Europa League defeat on Thursday left Postecoglou winless in his opening six games - the first time in 100 years that has happened at Forest.

He knew it was not "love at first sight" with Forest fans and promised to win them over but that relationship already looks broken after less than a month.

Once fans turn it is hard to win them back, despite Postecoglou's insistence his side are on the right track, and when supporters are turning round to openly question owner Evangelos Marinakis in the stand the situation looks bleak.

'Forest more possession-based and free under Postecoglou' - Howe

Newcastle v Nott'm Forest (Sun, 14:00 BST)

Newcastle United

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe spoke about Sunday's opponents Nottingham Forest and their winless start under Ange Postecoglou: "They have a very strong group of players and I think they've had a slight change [under Postecoglou] - they are definitely more possession-based and quite free in their movements.

"You look at the games and I think they could have gone either way. I think they have a good balance to their squad. Ange Postecoglou is an outstanding manager with a really good track record.

"We know this is a pivotal game for us going into the international break. Our Premier League record is really important to us, it is a big match."

Livramento out for eight weeks, but no 'fresh injuries' - Howe

Newcastle v Nott'm Forest (Sun, 14:00 BST)

Newcastle United

Right, let's pivot to Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe, who started his news conference with a team news update before Sunday's match at home to Nottingham Forest: "I think everyone came through okay [from Wednesday's victory over Union Saint-Gilloise], off the top of my head I don't think there is any fresh injuries."

On Tino Livramento's injury: "He went to see a specialist a couple of days ago because the scan maybe looked better than we initially thought. The specialist confirmed it's roughly an eight-week injury. A blow to lose him, but for what It could have been it is good news."

'It's been obvious we've made errors - not just him' - Slot on Konate's form

Chelsea v Liverpool (Sat, 17:30 BST)

Liverpool

A final word from Liverpool manager Arne Slot on France centre-back Ibrahima Konate, and whether his form has been affected by concerns over his contract, which ends in the summer, and links with a move to Real Madrid:

"If you are losing a game of football, then it doesn't help if you lose the ball too many times, too easily. He's been one of them, but he's definitely not the only one.

"If you then lose a game of football there is so much focus on that one moment, that suddenly your 90 minutes have been very, very poor. That's just not the way I analyse the game.

"In the last two games, it's been obvious and clear that we've made a few errors, not just him [Konate] but others, that we're not used to."

Slot on Salah & Liverpool's goalscoring struggles

Chelsea v Liverpool (Sat, 17:30 BST)

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on Mohamed Salah's form, after choosing not to start him in the midweek Champions League defeat at Galatasaray: "I see the same as at the end of last season, where he scored 12 goals, five from a penalty and one from a set-piece, so six open-play goals.

"He is part of a team that faces a different opposition than the first half of last season.

"To make that comparison you can look at when we played Manchester United away last season and they tried to play out from the back and we stole the ball from them three times.

"Compare that to the way United played at Anfield where [goalkeeper Andre] Onana only went long.

"Then that is one of the answers why it is more difficult to score open-play goals in the second half of last season and first half of this season.

"What I'm trying to say is we're not scoring as many open-play goals. This is something we are working on very hard. But yeah, we still struggle a bit to find enough goals from open play."

Slot on right-backs Bradley & Frimpong

Chelsea v Liverpool (Sat, 17:30 BST)

Liverpool

Arne Slot on right-backs Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong and whether they have complained about missing games while midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has played in that position: "Conor was out with an injury in pre-season. Frimpong the same, he has come back from injury. But I don't think players will be complaining they have not been playing if they've been injured. That would be news to me.

"And, just like [Alexander] Isak, if you've been out you can't be expected to play three games in one week.

"Dominik [Szoboszlai] has played very, very well at right-back, apart from that one moment with the penalty. But that is one moment in many minutes he's played there."

'We need to do better'

Chelsea v Liverpool (Sat, 17:30 BST)

Liverpool

More from Arne Slot on Liverpool's back-to-back defeats - at Crystal Palace in the Premier League and Galatasaray in the Champions League: "The reaction after losing two games in a row you can argue if that is positive. But what I saw was a team playing until the last minute trying to get a result.

"We were different to the Palace game, winning second balls, we were like in the Palace game close to a result. I've said many times last season the margins are so small. That's the same this season again. We are trying to find ways to be better and not just rely on luck or a set-piece or something.

We don't need to rely on Ekitike going one-on-one with the goalkeeper and getting pulled on his shoulder three times and trying everything to stay on his feet, like our players mainly do. And one minute later a player goes to the ground after this [imitates small contact] and goes to the ground like it's the worst hit he has ever had and the referee gives a penalty.

"Again, this can happen and we should be better than that, that it doesn't matter if we have luck or no luck or whatever.

"By the way, if we had the same referee we had against Galatasaray, we wouldn't have lost against Palace. Because this one blew his whistle exactly after eight minutes.

"But again this has nothing to do with the current results. We need to do better."

'He's adjusted well' - Slot on new keeper Mamardashvili

Chelsea v Liverpool (Sat, 17:30 BST)

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on new goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili: "I think we've seen against Southampton how well he's adjusted. We knew we were bringing in a very good goalkeeper. When he plays his first game that's a way of seeing he's adjusted really well to our club. It's not a surprise because he's a quality goalkeeper. Now he can do what we've had to do so many times in the past replacing Alisson, like we've done so many times before."

Injury updates - Alisson, Ekitike, Chiesa

Chelsea v Liverpool (Sat, 17:30 BST)

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on injuries: "Alisson is not part of the squad tomorrow and he won't travel to Brazil for the national team.

"Hugo [Ekitike] is going to train again today, let's see where he is. The same can be said for Frederico [Chiesa].

"It depends on how fast the recovery goes.

"I will be surprised if he [Alisson] will be there for the first game after the international break. From there on things can go a bit faster a bit slower. It's difficult to say.

"I'm not a doctor so I cannot tell you if it is the same [hamstring injury]."

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