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• Liverpool prepared for 'difficult' December away games, insists Slot

  Arne Slot said his Liverpool players are relishing the December fixture list that will see his side play six of their eight games away from Anfield in all competitions this month. 

  Liverpool make the trip to St. James' Park on Wednesday to face Newcastle, buoyed by their 2-0 win over Manchester City that put them nine points clear at the top of the table. 

  Slot has enjoyed a seamless transition since taking the reins at Anfield, winning 18 of his first 20 games in all competitions, while also averaging 2.67 points per game so far. 

  The Reds remain the only unbeaten side in the division away from home, winning five of their six games on the road, only dropping points against Arsenal in October. 

  Liverpool also have an impressive record at St. James' Park, winning five of their last six away league games against the Magpies, with their current streak of three their longest ever winning away run against them. 

  While Slot acknowledged their run of away games would be "difficult", he insisted that his players are ready for the challenge to keep their early-season momentum going. 

  "If Liverpool is [first, second, third or fourth], it is always a special game for the teams we face," Slot said. If Liverpool fans come, the stadium is sold out, everybody wants to play us and everyone wants the best game against us, like they have against Arsenal, Man City and the others.

  "The good thing is for me, it's not only us who play that many games. For example, we face Everton next. They've had a game during the week as well, so mostly, we are facing teams that are rested for a week because we played in the Champions League.

  "I wasn't aware that six of the [next] nine are away, but now you tell me, it makes it even more difficult, but we're ready for it."

  Slot was also able to provide an injury update on goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who has missed the last nine games in all competitions with a hamstring injury. 

  But in the Brazilian's absence, Caoimhin Kelleher has been a dependable replacement, keeping five clean sheets, including three consecutive in the Champions League. 

  Kelleher starred in Liverpool's win over Real Madrid by saving Kylian Mbappe's spot-kick. He has now saved three of his four penalties for the Reds in all competitions. 

  However, Slot has said that Alisson is set to return between the sticks at the end of the month. 

  "I think I have been clear a few weeks ago about what my position is about our goalkeepers, but we are just waiting for Alisson to be completely fit," Slot said. 

  "Caoimhin [Kelleher] is doing too well to put Alisson on goal if he's only 50%. That would not be good for Alisson and it would not be good for the team.

  "He's getting there, it might take a few more extra days, but he's getting closer.

  "Like I've always said, the end phase of a rehab is always the period where you feel like 'okay, is he really there or does he need extra days?'

  "But he will be in goal before the end of December if things continue like they are now."

• Maresca: Chelsea ‘not ready’ to challenge Liverpool and Man City for title

  Enzo Maresca said that his Chelsea side are "not ready" to challenge the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City for the Premier League title this season despite their recent form.

  The Blues put on an impressive display last time out by putting three past Aston Villa on Sunday, with Nicolas Jackson, Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer all on target.

  They have now lost just one of their last 14 home games in the Premier League (W9 D4), while their 10 total league home wins in 2024 is their most at Stamford Bridge in a calendar year since 2021 (also 10).

  Chelsea’s latest win moved them up to third in the standings, but ahead of facing lowly Southampton on Wednesday, Maresca tempered expectations for the campaign last week.

  "I do not agree with that. We are not ready to compete with Liverpool, Arsenal and City for many reasons. Because we win today, I am not going to change my idea. We are not ready for that," he said.

  "The good thing is we are improving. Soon, hopefully, we can be there. On the other hand, there was a team that was fantastic. I consider [Unai] Emery a top manager; he's won trophies everywhere and is doing something fantastic at Villa.

  "For sure, we need to improve many things. We can attack better, we can defend better, but for me, what we need is that you need to live moments to get better."

  Russell Martin, meanwhile, believes his fringe Southampton players are ready to step up amid several key absentees for the visit of Chelsea.

  The Saints ended a run of nine straight away Premier League defeats by drawing 1-1 with south coast rivals Brighton last Friday, avoiding a loss away from home in a top-flight game despite conceding the opening goal for the first time since January 2023.

  However, that vital point came with a price, with Flynn Downes, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tyler Dibling picking up their fifth yellow cards of the season, meaning they will miss the game.

  But Martin insisted that the players ready to make their mark in midweek have his full trust, as they aim to close the gap on the sides above them at the bottom of the table.

  "We are probably without our five most consistent players, so we have to tweak and adapt. Am I kicking myself for playing three of our best players and getting a point away at Brighton? Absolutely not," Martin said.

  "Ryan Manning coming in from being not even on the bench and doing really well is an example. We have a big squad, but we knew all season we'd need everyone.

  “You can go from being not on the bench to starting and that's it. We have trust in the players coming in and trust in the shape because they have done it before."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Southampton – Adam Armstrong

  With the absence of some of their key players, Armstrong will be key for the Saints on Wednesday. He has scored in each of his last three home appearances in all competitions.

   The last player to score in four in a row at St Mary’s with Saints as a top-flight side was Charlie Austin between September and October 2016.

  Chelsea – Nicolas Jackson

  Jackson has opened the scoring inside 10 minutes in four different Premier League games in 2024, the most of any player this year, with only Chris Wood (seven) scoring the first goal in more top-flight games than the Chelsea striker (six) overall so far this season.

  He has been involved in eight goals in his last eight away Premier League appearances for Chelsea (six goals, two assists), while he has four goals and an assist in seven games against newly promoted clubs.

  MATCH PREDICTION: CHELSEA WIN

  Chelsea have won six of their last eight away Premier League matches (D1 L1), as many as they had in their previous 22 on the road (D5 L11). Indeed, since the start of May, no side has won more away points than the Blues in the competition (19).

  They have also only won more top-flight away games against Tottenham (15) than they have against Southampton (14), while of team’s they’ve faced 20+ times on the road in the competition, their highest goals-per-game ratio is also against the Saints (1.9 – 45 goals in 24 games).

  Maresca’s side have also been impressive in attack. They haven’t failed to score in any of their last 18 Premier League away games against Southampton, since a 1-0 loss in December 1997 under Ruud Gullit.

  Southampton, however, have won their last two Premier League games against Chelsea, as many as in their previous 18 (D5 L11). They last won three consecutive league games against the Blues between 1979 and 1985.

  But since enjoying a 10-game unbeaten run at St Mary’s in the Premier League between October 2021 and February 2022 (W5 D5), Southampton have won just four of their last 31 home games in the competition (D6 L21).

  They have also lost six of their last eight midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Premier League games (W2), losing each of the last three without scoring.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Southampton – 15.9%

  Draw – 19.8%

  Chelsea – 64.2%

• Sky is the limit for ‘relentless’ Brentford ahead of Villa test, says Frank

  Brentford boss Thomas Frank believes the sky is the limit for his players after they dispatched Leicester City last time out to move up to eighth in the Premier League table.

  A hat-trick from Kevin Schade and a goal from Yoane Wissa earned the Bees their sixth win of the season last Saturday, all of which have come at home, more than they managed for the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign (five).

  Brentford also became the first side to score 20+ goals at home in the Premier League this term. After seven home games, it's the earliest in a league season that they have reached 20+ home goals since 1982-83 (also seven), and the earliest in the top-flight since 1936-37 (also seven).

  While their away from has left a lot to be desired, with a midweek trip to Aston Villa up next for the Bees, Frank is confident his players can push to finish in the European places.

  "As high as possible. We are very happy with the season so far, always thinking of what to improve. Even this game, there are things we could do better, but football is tough. We celebrate today and we go again in training tomorrow,” Frank said.

  "It was a very good performance, probably our best performance this year overall. I think we controlled and dominated that game from minute one to the end of the game. They got 1-0 up but we were just relentless.

  "This group of players has a top mentality, top character and top culture. That bounce-back mentality is something you need to have not just after a game you lose, but also in games.”

  Villa, meanwhile, endured a difficult day at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, losing 3-0 to Chelsea, which dropped them down into the bottom half of the Premier League standings.

  The Villans are now winless in their last five straight top-flight games for the first time since August 2022 under Steven Gerrard. This current form is also the joint-longest streak without a victory in the Premier League (five – level with Everton and Leicester).

  However, Unai Emery insisted that he was happy with his side’s displays this term, both domestically and in the Champions League, but acknowledged improvements were needed.

  "We believe completely in our work. We are enjoying the Champions League, and in the league, we are more or less where we were [last season],” Emery said. "Our challenge is to fight on Wednesday with Brentford and see how our level is with Brentford.

  “There are still matches to play and we are going to recover our confidence, trying to build the team. We have to try to be better than we are being now. We can individually do better.

  "At the beginning of the season, we can sense some teams were better than us and one of them is Chelsea. We try to keep the balance and not be frustrated.”

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Aston Villa – Ollie Watkins

  Against Crystal Palace last time out, Watkins became the first Villa player to reach 50 goal involvements in Premier League home games (35 goals, 15 assists).

  His 35 goals is the second most by a Villa player at Villa Park, behind only Dwight Yorke (37), and the England international will be hopeful of adding to that total on Wednesday.

  Brentford – Kevin Schade

  While the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Wissa have received plaudits for their starts to the season, the Bees were able to showcase the depth of their attacking talent against Leicester, none more so than Schade.

  He became the fourth German player to score a Premier League hat-trick last time out against the Foxes, with his three goals in that game more than he’d managed in his previous 41 appearances in the competition combined (two).

  MATCH PREDICTION: ASTON VILLA WIN

  Villa are unbeaten in their last four league games against Brentford (W2 D2), having been winless in their previous eight (D4 L4).

  However, the Villans have won just two of their last 14 Premier League games played on a Wednesday (D4 L8), though one of these was in their last such home match against Manchester City in December last year.

  They have also impressed at Villa Park, losing just one of their last 11 Premier League home games (W4 D6). Each of their last three have finished level, though, with Villa last drawing four consecutive Premier League games on home soil between March and April 2007.

  Brentford, meanwhile, have never won an away league game against Villa (D6 L3), with the Bees only facing Stoke City (14) and Halifax Town (11) more often on the road without ever winning in their league history.

  While Frank’s side have won more points in Premier League home games than any other side this season (19), no side have won fewer points on the road than the Bees this term (1, level with Southampton).

  They have also lost nine of their last 10 top-flight games against sides that finished in the top four the previous season, with the only exception being a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in March.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Aston Villa – 50.8%

  Draw – 23.6%

  Brentford – 25.6%