Liverpool: Following their midweek Champions League smash-and-grab against Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool take on Southampton tomorrow in a match where Arne Slot is expected to rotate his squad in order to keep his heavy artillery fresh for the visit of PSG next week. Unsurprisingly, it was a subject that was discussed at the Dutchman’s press conference.

“For me the one against Southampton is by far the most important, not only because it’s the first one we play but it is a very important one for us,” he said. “If I make the choice to play other players that is because I think that’s the biggest chance to win the game tomorrow and not because I want to rest them for the game against PSG.”

Hmmm …

Brighton: Fabian Hurzeler’s side have won five games in a row in all competitions, with three of those victories coming in the top flight. They host Fulham tomorrow and in the build-up to the game, the German was asked about his side’s chances of qualifying for a place in next season’s Champions League. Brighton currently sit three points off fifth place, with Fulham just a point behind them.

“It’s very important we focus on our journey and that we really believe in it,” he told reporters. “Yesterday I received a picture from a mountain. In a mountain you always have new peaks, new peaks you have to climb. That’s the goal for us we have to climb new peaks.”

His appetite for Alpine analogies sated, Hurzeler went on to reveal that Kaoru Mitoma will be fit for tomorrow’s game after recovering from cramp, while he has no other injury concerns.

Sven Botman to miss Carabao Cup final

Ipswich Town: Five points from safety, Kieran McKenna’s side travel to in-form Crystal Palace tomorrow hoping to close the five-point gap between themselves and a Wolves side who have lost Matheus Cunha, their best player, to at least four games through suspension. Despite the very real threat of relegation hanging over his side, Kieran McKenna has said he is not prepared to abandon his principles.

“If you stay consistent in your behaviour, in our processes, driving the culture here, I think that builds a trust between the group,” he said. “Of course the later you get towards the end of the season, because there’s less games ahead, the results feel more important. But the best way we believe to get the points is to focus on performances and to try and perform as well as you can with whatever the game plan is in that particular game.

“There’s no game in the Premier League that is going to be anything less than competitive. If we can do a lot of things well then we’ll make the games competitive and Crystal Palace are a very strong side, they have certainly improved as the season has gone on.”

Southampton: With the teams separated by 52 points, Southampton face a daunting weekend trip to Anfield, where nobody gives the Premier League’s bottom side a snowball’s chance in hell of adding to their tally of nine points against the table-toppers.

While Ivan Juric could be forgiven for whimpering in fear behind the sofa, the Saints boss fronted up at his press conference to declare his side – who have already given Liverpool a decent run for their money on two separate occasions this season – will try to give a good account of themselves.

“It’s never mission impossible,” he told reporters. “We will try to do our best and we will see. Before the match, I’m always optimistic and then after maybe I think differently. But before the match, I always see the possibility of doing something good.

“When you play against Liverpool, sometimes it’s the way you want to die. If you do some things, they will find another way to beat you. If you are low block, they will find a way to beat you. I think we have to be perfect in both things. Sometimes press, sometimes low block. We will see. We have to play well.”

Football finance: The Premier League’s financial power continues to blow its European rivals out of the water, with combined revenues almost double those in Germany and Spain according to newly released figures from Uefa. Nick Ames has the latest …

Tottenham Hotspur: Guglielmo Vicario has said he “understands the frustration of the fans” after the Tottenham goalkeeper was involved in an emotional exchange following his side’s 1-0 defeat at AZ in the first leg of their Europa League tie. Ed Aarons reports from Alkmaar …

Nottingham Forest: Nuno Espirito Santo’s side welcome Manchester City for tomorrow’s early kick-off having taken just one point from the last nine available in the Premier League. Forest sit third in the top flight but will be overtaken by City if they fail to beat them. The Forest manager has said he will treat tomorrow’s game against the Premier League champions the same way he would any other game.

“The approach is the same,” Nuno told reporters. “Nothing changes. You have to realise that you’re going to play a very, very good team, a team that has been able to clearly dominate in the last years, a coach that has a big impact on the game and fantastic players.

“But it’s the same approach. It’s realising how hard it’s going to be, but at the same time with the joy of the moment. It’s going to be even more difficult than it was before [at the Etihad, where Forest lost 3-0].”

The Portuguese refused to be drawn on the reasons behind City’s decline this season and insisted Guardiola remains as influential as ever. “Pep is one of the coaches who has had a direct impact on the game,” he said. “His ideas and the way he approaches [his work] and tries to build his teams.

“He has a big impact and he’s contagious to older managers because they see new things and different things. We’ve faced each other many times and it’s always about the players at the end of the day, the ability of the players to make the manager’s ideas work.”

Premier League fixtures

• Nottingham Forest v Man City (Sat 12.30pm GMT)

• Liverpool v Southampton (3pm)

• Crystal Palace v Ipswich Town (3pm)

• Brighton v Fulham (3pm)

• Brentford v Aston Villa (5.30pm)

• Wolves v Everton (8pm)

• Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth (Sunday 2pm)

• Chelsea v Leicester (2pm)

• Manchester United v Arsenal (4.30pm)

• West Ham v Newcastle (Monday 8pm)

• View the Premier League table

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Preamble