Welcome to our live coverage of Arne Slot's press conference to preview his Liverpool side's Premier League clash away at Leicester City. The Reds head coach will be speaking to the media from 9am.
It will be the first time that we have heard from Slot since Liverpool signed Virgil van Dijk up to a new contract. The Dutchman joined Mohamed Salah in committing his future to the club when it was announced that he'd signed a new, two-year deal on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Slot's side need just six more points to clinch the Premier League title and could even win the championship this weekend should Arsenal lose at Ipswich Town before the Reds kick off at Leicester City.
Slot is sure to give and update on Trent Alexander-Arnold, who trained this week after over a month out injured and whose contract remains up at the end of the season. Joe Gomez is also sidelined.
Paul Gorst and Theo Squires are in place at the AXA Training Centre to bring you live updates.
Slot on 'wobble' theories
It's difficult to judge as I don't follow everything but we have won 5 of last 6, what I have seen all season, first 32 games in PL, apart from 3/4 were all tough. We have won many games with 1 or 2 goals difference, so tells you it is a tough league and how hard it is to win a game. I am not bothered about opinions of pundits. We didn't play well in 2nd half of West Ham but Wolves away...we didn't play well for 90 mins and that was earlier in the season."
Slot on VVD's 'big summer' comments
I think at LFC, it is always a big summer and it's already a big summer now. Maybe the players don;t know what is being said in the media but we have held on to two of those, so it is already a big summer, so let's see what the summer brings. It would be strange for me to say I am not happy with the team, if we keep them then I would say it is a big summer.
Plans for the summer...
We didn't change anything last summer and we didn't go downwards, but in general I agree [standing still] but the longer a team plays together the more success it has. It is also in general good to have some new energy around the place with new players I agree on but it is not a neccessity if you look at the season we have had. Newcastle, we saw them in the week how good they are, played so well against us in League Cup final is no surprise, Villa - 7th - showed they can beat PSG, what a league we are in!"
Slot on contract issues
Maybe pundits and media assume we're always so impacted by what is being said but if you play at this level for so long, you are not affected by what people say. It is not that they don't have some money to get some groceries if they don't get a contract, so they were maybe not that worried about their situation. I think these players are old enough that they are not affected by what is said in the media."
Slot on what he wants from No.9
Difficult answer or simple one? Simple one is goals. He needs to produce goals but apart from that, in modern football, No.9s have to work hard and be part of an intense pressing team. All CL semi-finalists work their a*** off! Can I say that?
"In the end, it's help a No.9 of Liverpool scores goals. That is the short answer."
Slot on Van Dijk cont...
It's difficult [to play later] because I only judge the quality now. How did Thiago Silva play [for so long], he has to stay fit. If a player is out 2/3 months, this is the highest level in football, PL. It's hard for players to come back straight away at that level, so he has to stay fit. If he does, I see no reason why he would regress. The club feel the same."
Slot on Van Dijk
It's difficult to describe, you know how important he is when you see him player, everyone has complimented him over the years as a defender. I mostly watch football and look at possession, he is so, so good at bringing it out from the back. The diagonal passes, the through ball, the leader he is, that is something I haven't worked with before, the energy he brings to the team, how professional he is and how he tries to help his team-mates. He is always on Gravenberch, constantly have a big influence, ain influence he has is during the weekend. Good thing with him he has attributes that help here at the AXA."
Slot on title II
Honest answer is no, but I am not sure if you believe me! It's the honest answer, my whole life I live in the moment, in the day, I don't look back or forward a lot, I don't look back at what I have done, people tell you to enjoy but as a manager you think of the game at the weekend and you need to win that and then the next. I have been in football so long you get used to living day by day."
Slot on title
My thoughts are not on that at all, my thoughts are on Leicester on our team, what we can do better. During this week, we've worked on that a lot, we are working towards Leicester one game at a time."
Slot on Alexander-Arnold
No, I think you would be surprised if I answered differently to the rest of the season. It is for hours the same answer: we don't talk about these things when they are not done and they are not.
"Trent is coming back from injury and trained with us this week, he has shown his committment and he shows me what a player he is when he is on a pitch and how much he works hard to be back with the team and the fans of LFC, everyone who watches football knows he is an incredible full-back for this club, so let's see what the future brings.
Trent is not ready to start but if things go well today and tomorrow, he might - might - be on the bench. First session with the team was Weds, so not able to start but let's see if he can join us, would be nice if he is with us."
Slot on Van Dijk
It tells you that we want to keep our best players, the ones who have had great seasons for so many years. That we are able to keep them as free agents tells you the ambitions we have for the coming years. Virgil is so important to us, great personality and great player"
Morning all
Liverpool are closing in on the Premier League title and could actually clinch it this weekend, providing Arsenal lose to Ipswich Town in Sunday's 2pm kick-off.
Expecting plenty of title talk from Arne Slot too.
Morning
Morning all and welcome to the AXA Training Centre where we will shortly be hearing from Arne Slot ahead of Sunday's trip to Leicester City.
The contract extension of Virgil van Dijk and fitness of Trent Alexander-Arnold will both be on the agenda.
Updates to come.
Good morning
Hello, good morning and welcome to our press conference liveblog. Arne Slot will be here from 9am and we'll have live updates from Paul and Theo at the AXA. Don't go away.
