Premier League pre-match press conferences LIVE – Guardiola, Amorim and Frank speaking this afternoon

Thomas Frank says striker Randal Kolo Muani is back in contention for the game against Aston Villa following a leg injury.

READ MORE: Tottenham boss Frank confirms striker Kolo Muani is back in contention following injury

Amorim says Lisandro Martinez is closing in on a return to action.

“[Lisandro Martínez] is not fit for Liverpool game, but he is near but almost returning to the training with the team,” he said.

“[Noussair Mazraoui], I don’t know.

“The rest of the guys from the national team, they are ready but some players play in Japan, so we need to be careful. Diogo [Dalot] didn’t play the last game, Bruno [Fernandes] play 62 minutes, so we have to try to balance everything so that they area ready.”

“Maybe the expectations, when you have to win and the responsibility of winning it is so much harder.

“When you play in big clubs, you need to win every game. We have difficulties some times to play with that responsibility. Maybe when Manchester United are not expected to win, it is easier for the players to perform but we need to change that.”

After Man Utd co-owner Jim Ratcliffe pledged in a recent interview that he would give head coach Ruben Amorim time, the Portuguese manager says he is pleased with the support he is getting.

“First of all I can feel it, it is not just that thing that people say, I feel it every day.

“Sometimes the pressure I put on the team and myself is so much bigger. I know it is going to take a while. It is really good to hear that.

“I think it helps our fans to understand that leadership know it is going to take a while. But at the same time I don’t like that because I don’t want that feeling in our club that we have time to sort things out. We need to prove in football and at big clubs that every week we are ready to win games.”

Guardiola on Haaland’s form: “I think it’s the best shape he has been in. He is doing really well right now. His performance levels are outstanding. But you cannot sustain this level always. When he is going to drop, I will be there. We will be there. We just have to sustain his levels. He doesn’t need compliments and anything special.

“To go to the World Cup in the United States – for him and Norway, it’s really, really nice and important.”

Mateo Kovacic played his first minutes of the season for Croatia over the international break.

Guardiola says it is now a case of building him up gradually but makes him to make a big impact on his side.

A blow for Guardiola and Man City, however, with the Spaniard confirming Rodri is out injured.

Pep Guardiola says Rayan Ait-Nouri and Omar Marmoush have both trained ahead of the weekend’s game and are close to coming back.

Pep Guardiola, Ruben Amorim and Thomas Frank will face the media this afternoon. Live updates to come.

Mikel Merino has been in outstanding goalscoring form of late for Spain and Arteta said: “I think the credit is with him because he had those qualities.”

“Going back in his history as well with Viktor, it’s a very different one. The beginning, when he wasn’t even playing much, and then how he evolved his career. Then in the last year, it was very difficult to find a gap of that because I think he scored in every single match almost. But just preparing something.

“The context is going to change. It’s part of football. You see the history of the number 9s. You’re going to have moments like that. Hopefully, it’s through playing. Not that you don’t even have the option to play, and you are injured.

“So his robustness is something really good. I’m really happy with him. Full confidence and when you look at him every single day, how much he wants it. That’s exactly what you expect.”

Arteta on Gyokeres’ recent goalscoring drought.

“Yes, but he brings so much to the team and watching the games back, I’m very pleased with what he’s given to the team. I told him before the press meeting, I said, the nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn’t score for six or eight games, he can handle that.

“If not, you have to go somewhere else because the pressure is gone, the expectation is going to be there. So, if you put it on a nine shirt on for Arsenal, you have to be able to say, OK, six games, if I don’t score. I’m a different player? I start to act in a different way? I want much more of the same of what he’s doing. Once we have those opportunities, I’m sure it’s going to happen.”

Mikel Arteta praised Gabriel Martinelli after the Arsenal forward continued his recent good form by scoring for Brazil.

“He’s doing what we expect from everybody to do. He’s got the minutes, the opportunity to deliver and to impact the game and especially the results.

“And then his attitude overall, his behaviour, the way he trains, the way he carries himself, his willingness to learn constantly. There are many examples throughout the team.

“But I’m very pleased to see Gabi going to the national team again and scoring and performing well. That’s all good signs because when they come back, the spirit is good, the confidence is good, so everything is easier.”

Martin Zubimendi is set to be involved against Fulham this weekend despite being absent from training this week. Ben White is also available, with Arteta revealing both were having their workload managed.

Kai Havertz and Noni Madueke are still sidelined with their respective knee injuries, however, though Arteta says Madueke is closing in on a return.

Piero Hincapie is back involved following his injury problem.

Mikel Arteta says Martin Odegaard faces a few weeks out but did not specify exactly when he will be able to return.

Martin Zubimendi is available this weekend, meanwhile.

Enzo Maresca on his red card against Liverpool and one-game touchline ban.

 “It was a big moment for many reasons. Firstly, it is because since I joined club we have never won a game at home in last minute.

“The other reason was we were playing, in this moment, the champions of England,. It was an important moment for sure.

“For me personally it was a normal reaction and that is all.”

In even more bad news for the Blues, Benoit Badiashile is set to be out until December with a muscle problem.

READ MORE: Cole Palmer injury latest: Chelsea star ruled out for another six weeks

A huge blow for Chelsea with Palmer set to miss six more weeks. More from Maresca on his star man here: Cole Palmer injury latest: Chelsea star ruled out for another six weeks

Enzo Maresca says Cole Palmer is set to miss around six more weeks with his groin injury.

“I was wrong, unfortunately, he needs to be out for six more weeks. So, yes, this is the update.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe says he is hopeful Joelinton will be involved this weekend against Brighton despite a slight injury concern.

Full update on him and others here: Newcastle United injury news: Eddie Howe gives updates on Joelinton, Wissa, Ramsey and Hall

Slot on Isak’s fitness: “Now he’s had his five or six weeks of pre-season, fitness wide he is close to the level he should be. Now we can judge him in a fair way from now on.

“His pre-season has finished now, he’s played a few games, so we see where he is in the coming weeks.”

“We haven’t created as many chances as last season and there’s a reason for that – the playing style of the opponent, and we have to find answers to that. The first answer is not to concede as many goals as we did. If a team scores one or two goals then we need three goals.

“In the first half of last season we mainly got these goals from a special moment from one of our front three, second half we needed set pieces against a low block, This season we haven’t had those special moments and we haven’t scored from set pieces.”

Arne Slot says his side still have positives to take of late despite losing their last three games.

“If we compare ourselves to last season we don’t create as many chances as we did at the start of last season,” he said. “But we are still the team that from open play creates the most xG and shots on target, but we are conceding too many goals.

“We have conceded nine goals and four from set pieces, but that is not a reflection of the chances we have conceded. The other five were from fast breaks and open play, from open play we are conceding too many crosses, that is something we have to address and do better at. We are facing more long balls.”

Slot on Alisson’s possible return date: “It’s so difficult to say because the end phase of a rehab can always give you positives or negatives but he will not play this weekend and also not next week.”