Liverpool

Image source, Getty Images

That's it from Liverpool manager Arne Slot and also this page.

We will be back bright and early tomorrow for more transfer chat.

But for now, we will leave you with the top lines from Arne Slot's news conference:

• Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate will miss Wednesday's match, but Andy Robertson is available to play
• Slot says Gomez will be back in a "relatively short time" after being asked if his absence would change Liverpool's transfer plans
• The Reds boss also added that he "expects Robertson to stay" - the full-back has been linked with a move to Tottenham
• When being pushed on squad depth, Slot said he believed one of the factors behind the Reds' Premier League title last season was the fact they played fewer games after being knocked out of the Champions League by Paris St-Germain in the last 16
• He added that the club only had one centre-back - Virgil van Dijk - available to play against Qarabag

Aadam Patel
Football Reporter

Arne Slot's belief is that if Liverpool can improve in both boxes, they can still do special things this season.

Before Slot spoke, Jeremie Frimpong said that a successful season would see Liverpool winning the FA Cup and Champions League.

For Slot, who kindly declined to answer what an "acceptable" season looks like, there was an admittance that it's impossible to shut down the outside noise at a club like Liverpool when you aren't competing for the title.

Yet the Dutchman believes that if he can get his side sorted at both ends of the pitch, Liverpool can still win silverware this season. That's certainly easier said than done.

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot did, at least, end on a positive note, when asked what the rest of the season could hold:

"On what is acceptable for me, if we can improve in both boxes I think we can win something this season.

"If we only improve in one it will be really difficult to win something."

Could Dominic Szoboszlai play at right-back?: "Always consider, but I also consider to play him in midfield."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on who will play in defence:

"For sure at centre-back tomorrow there will not be a centre-back. I can only play a midfielder as there are no centre-back available apart from Virgil [Van Dijk].

"I credit him a lot for being fit all the time, at his age to constantly be ready to play another 90 is something we should not take for granted."

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on expectations:

"When you are Liverpool, the aim is to win the league. But we've only done that twice in the last 30 years.

"We want to be competitive in every competition, that is always the aim, but the reality is in the last three years we have won one Premier League and one League Cup.

"Whether things are acceptable - I have my opinion but I'm not going to share that. The outside world will have it's opinion.

"A lot has been said about the £450m but people tend to forget the £300m we brought in. I have my opinions on what is acceptable, but I will not share that."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on whether he should work with a bigger squad:

"Even if you would consider coming to a different decision, the question is can we change it and can we make the squad bigger with the money available?

"This is not going to be a popular opinion, but maybe the reason we won the league last season is we had to play Paris St-Germain in the last 16 [of the UCL].

"They beat us and we had a week to prepare for games.

"Every manager knows the more players you have the better equipped you are, but I know even today I had to disappoint some players by not putting them in the squad.

"It is not an easy balance to find but you can see with the recent injuries it is not a good balance, that is obvious."

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said he expects Joe Gomez back "in a relatively short time".

On managing injuries: "I have to adapt with the system or players in different positions. This doesn't help with the narrative, I am completely aware of that. It is a difficult balance.

"Before people say I don't listen to medical staff, I am listening but sometimes I make my own decisions. There was a player who was on the pitch and set up a goal when it probably would have been better for him to be off the pitch,

"I speak to my players, I know how they feel and if they are ready, I take that all into account. If you don't know the information, it is easy to criticise."

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot reiterated that he only has one centre-back available to play against Qarabag and a midfielder would have to fill that position.

More to follow.

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on managing his squad:

"That's a difficulty. I can assure you I would prefer to start with Hugo [Ekitike] against Bournemouth but he had been out for two weeks and then had to play a lot of games.

"With only one number nine available for the coming months it made sense to give him a rest and I have had to do the same with more players.

"Jeremie Frimpong is another example.

"I want to emphasise how much respect I have for the players we have because it is almost constantly the same players that have to play. They have to do it in difficult circumstances when results are not what we want and we get the criticism we deserve.

"Usually, if you get that much criticism it does something to you mentally and if you have to play that many minutes you can get injured. That's why I have so much respect for my players that given the circumstances we are in they are still available."

Liverpool

Arne Slot has his opinion about what is an acceptable level of success for a club the size of Liverpool, but he is "not going to share that".

More to follow.

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on his side's current form:

"It is going to be really difficult to quiet outside noise with the position we are in in the league.

"It's impossible to shut down the noise at a club like this if you are not competing for the league.

"In between the boxes we are a very, very good team. The way we play out from the back and bring the ball towards promising positions - so, so many times against Bournemouth we were in positions I want my players to be in.

"Taking it from promising positions to chances and being clinical to finish them off we have to improve.

"In the other box, other teams arrive there three, four times a game. Too many times when they arrive it leads to chances and sometimes goals. There is an unbalance between us and other teams.

"If we can improve in both boxes we can do very special things season. If we can improve in one it will be an acceptable season. If we can't improve on either there will be a lot of noise."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot was asked if Joe Gomez's injury would change his transfer plans, but the Dutchman said he expected the England defender to be back in a "relatively short amount of time".

More to follow.

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on Andy Robertson, amid links with a move away: "Robbo is part of the team tomorrow evening. He has been part of this squad for so many years.

"I am happy to have him and I am glad he is available because that is not normal for us right now. He will be part of the team and nothing is happening on this side.

"It's hard to say anything definite in this world we are in but I expect him to stay."

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on if there is any update on Joe Gomez's fitness: "Not really but I can confirm he is not available for tomorrow."

On Ibrahima Konate, who recently lost his father: "Of course I spoke to him. If you know why he's not here, we know he's having a hard time. I am hoping and expecting to have him back soon but not for tomorrow evening."

Liverpool

On Liverpool's failure to mount a title challenge this season, Arne Slot said that it was "impossible to shut down the noise with this club if you are not competing for the league".

More to follow.