Premier League team news LIVE: Liverpool, Newcastle and Bournemouth news conferences

'We've a lot of belief in how special Ngumoha is'

Liverpool v West Ham (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

Liverpool

More from Liverpool manager Arne Slot on Rio Ngumoha: "It's something special for a 17-year-old to be hyped the way he is. There's a lot of talks about him because we can all see the talent. But he is handling the situation very well.

"It is a big compliment to him and his parents, who have raised him. He is down to earth, works really hard and keeps going. He doesn't lose his head because of positive pundits' feedback and you need that to make the next steps because if you start to believe you are special after one or two feedbacks, you don't get to the level you want to.

"He knows what he needs to improve but we have to keep his special quality - that's beating players one-on-one. It's not that it has to work 10/10 times but it's important he keeps trying because there are not many in modern football who can take people on one-on-one and it works a lot of times. That's something special an we want to take good care of him. We have a lot of belief in how special he is."

'Ngumoha has become a better player'

Liverpool v West Ham (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on Rio Ngumoha: " Data says Rio has only played 90 minutes in the Premier League. To be more realistic, or to tell the truth, you see his playing time has improved massively over the last few weeks and that is because he has developed and became a better player.

"It's always positive that people are talking about him because he is doing really well. I would like people to talk about every player we have on bench like that because then they do really well when coming on.

"It's another example of a player that someone want to see more and more. It's all due to the fact he does well when he comes in. The highlight was against Nottingham Forest and his one-on-one action. But he had a few other moments he did as well which we talk about. That is part of the development of the player and I really like where he is now in his development. If he stays fit more minutes will come in the future."

'It's the new reality of Premier League'

Liverpool v West Ham (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on the competitiveness of the Premier League: "Data tells you sometimes something that is right and sometimes you can manipulate it. But I cannot say we haven't struggled against the promoted sides like Burnley and Leeds United. So we understand at this moment how difficult winning games in general is, regardless of where the position is in league table.

"But that is not only for us. I watch plenty of games of the opposition and I can tell you we are not the only team that sometimes plays a half like we played against Nottingham Forest.

"It's also the quality you face and you have to give credit to Forest for the way they played. That is the new reality in Premier League for the last few years. Before that, it was more obvious which were the top teams and they would beat others. Maybe it's about all the money in the league and these teams have owners who can spend."

'We have an outstanding keeper in Alisson'

Liverpool v West Ham (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on goalkeeper Alisson Becker: "In an ideal world you don't need your goalkeeper because you defend so well. But the important thing for us is if we do, we have an outstanding one. He has been here seven years now and also we not only have one good keeper, we also have Giorgi Mamardashvili too, another who could be the number one.

"Before he was there, we had Caoimhin Kelleher but Allisson has always been the number one and that tells you how good he is if he can keep Mamardashvili and Kelleher behind him."

'Ekitike and Gakpo haven't score many goals either'

Liverpool v West Ham (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

Liverpool

More from Liverpool manager Arne Slot on Mohamed Salah's form: "We are used to [Salah] scoring a lot of goals - I think that's the biggest difference in his performances right now.

But we also know, even in my time, it has happened. I've had questions about Mo not scoring for three or four games but I know he always scores again in the end. That's the challenge he and we have at the moment.

"He is not our only attacker who doesn't score as much as we are used to. It is not that the focus should be all on him, Hugo [Ekitike] and Cody [Gakpo] haven't scored that many goals recently as well, so it is a team thing. But we keep clean sheets, so we don't need to score as many.

'Salah has set standards so, so high'

Liverpool v West Ham (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on Mohamed Salah's goal drought in the Premier League: "He has set his own standards and they are so, so, so high that the moment he doesn't score for a few games, people are immediately surprised, so that is the big compliment he can get.

"For me it was only three games ago he had an assist and a goal against a Premier League side, Brighton, a very good team, in the FA Cup. So that is the reality. You can change data and say it's no goal in nine league games and that is the standard he set."

'We need to win a lot' to make Champions League

Liverpool v West Ham (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on his side's Champions League chances: "The way I see it, this is another game for us and we are not so focussed on other teams as all managers always say. We are only focussed mainly on ourselves.

"We know we need to win a lot of games, because our competitors for these Champions League places are very good teams as well. Winning a lot, that is where our focus is. Not so much about points and gaps although we are aware of the table. That's for sure.

'I don't know when Wirtz could return'

Liverpool v West Ham (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot speaking on team news before facing West Ham: "Jeremie [Frimpong] trained with us a few times this week. So he's available.

"But I don't expect Florian [Wirtz] to be available. It's a disappointment. Every time a player is not available is a disappointment, it's something that I didn't expect after last week."

On when Wirtz could return: "At this moment time, I don't know. Usually when I say that, I do know and I don't want to share that. But this time, I honestly don't know."

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