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• Frattesi 'deserves trust' from Inter after Italy form, says former Azzurri midfielder Tardelli

  Davide Frattesi "deserves trust" from Inter following his impressive form with Italy, according to former Azzurri midfielder Marco Tardelli.

  Frattesi was on target in Italy's victories over France and Israel during the international break, as Luciano Spalletti's side made a perfect start to Group A2 in the Nations League.

  The 25-year-old has now scored an impressive seven goals - the most of any player during the Spalletti era - in just 21 appearances since making his senior international debut two years ago.

  However, he has not featured as frequently this season for Inter, who he joined from Sassuolo on a permanent basis after his initial loan spell last term, with all three of his appearances coming from the bench.

  Frattesi faces competition from the established central midfield trio of Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

  But 1982 World Cup winner Tardelli, who expects him to be "a starter" alongside Barella for Italy in the coming years, believes he deserves more opportunities with the Nerazzurri.

  "Frattesi needs trust from Inter. There aren't many players like him," the former Inter boss told Gazzetta.

  "Inzaghi has many strong players. The trio in midfield - Barella, Calhanoglu, and Mkhitaryan - is a certainty. I can't tell Simone who to play, but everyone's seeing what Frattesi is doing. He makes a difference, and he deserves trust.

  "He's one of the new midfielders who knows how to be in the right place at the right time. The goal he scored with his chest against Israel proves it. He's always there. He knows how to make late runs and play vertically.

  "He attacks, defends and scores crucial goals. He was decisive last season, despite not being a starter. He has great courage. A player like him gives any coach multiple options, and Inzaghi knows this well."

• Slot returning to Anfield with point to prove despite perfect start

  Arne Slot insists Liverpool still have a lot to prove despite winning all three of their opening Premier League fixtures ahead of welcoming Nottingham Forest to Anfield on Saturday.

  The Dutchman is looking to become the first manager to keep four clean sheets in their first four league games at the helm, with the Reds the only side in the division yet to concede this term.

  Liverpool's defensive improvements have been overshadowed by their fluidity in attack, which was evident in their impressive 3-0 win over Manchester United before the international break.

  But Slot explained that not much needed tweaking to resolve the Reds' defensive rearguard that conceded 41 goals last year, acknowledging his side's good start means nothing just yet.

  "I normally don't use the word 'proud' but what I think we did very well in all three games is, like I just mentioned, the work rate without the ball," Slot said.

  "So, we try to press the opponent as high as we can but if they play through or over our press, I see everybody working really hard to make sure we don't need Alisson. 

  "I don't think that much difference. You are used to, if you followed Liverpool for a long time, them pressing really high. That's what we try to do now as well.

  "Like I said, three games played, the first two with Ipswich and Brentford were difficult opponents. A good start, let that be clear, but still a lot to prove.”

  Forest, meanwhile, will be looking to put an end to Liverpool's perfect start to the season to maintain their own unbeaten run in the top flight this term. 

  Nuno Espirito Santo had to settle for a point against former club Wolves last time out but will be able to unleash his late additions in the transfer window at Anfield. 

  James Ward-Prowse and Morato joined on the final day of the window, with the Forest head coach hopeful the pair can provide the rhythm that was missing last time out. 

  "First half the game was not in the rhythm - too much disruption," Nuno said. 

  "The rhythm of the game for both teams was lose possession, a disrupted game. One positive is we scored and the negative is we conceded so quickly.

  "It changed in the second half, we were more dominant and we put Wolves against the ropes."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Liverpool – Diogo Jota

  Jota has enjoyed his previous meetings with Forest, scoring six goals in five appearances against them in all competitions. 

  He has netted in all three of his games against the Tricky Trees for Liverpool (four goals), which is his longest scoring run against a single opponent in his English club career.

  Nottingham Forest – Chris Wood

  Wood has scored four of Nottingham Forest's last five Premier League goals, including two of their three so far this season.

  However, Wood has never scored in 11 league appearances against Liverpool, only facing Chelsea (12) more times in the Premier League without scoring.

  MATCH PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL WIN

  Both sides come into the contest with an unbeaten Premier League record this campaign, but it is Liverpool who are expected to come out on top, winning 75.9% of Opta's data-led simulations.

  The Reds are unbeaten in their last 25 home league games against Nottingham Forest (W20 D5), winning the last six in a row. Their last such defeat was in February 1969 under Bill Shankly (0-2).

  Liverpool have won all three of their Premier League games under new manager Slot without conceding a single goal. No manager in the competition's history has kept a clean sheet in each of their first four matches in charge, while only six have won each of their first four, most recently Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea in 2018.

  The hosts have only lost once in their last 24 Premier League matches that have immediately followed an international break (W18 D5), going down 4-1 at Manchester City in April 2023. When playing at Anfield in the league straight after an international break, Liverpool have not lost since September 2014 against Aston Villa (0-1).

  But Forest are unbeaten in four Premier League matches (W2 D2), their longest such run under Nuno, while not since February 2023 have they enjoyed a longer unbeaten streak in the division (five games).

  However, the Tricky Trees have lost their last three Premier League games against Liverpool, their longest run of league defeats against the Reds since a run of five between 1983 and 1985.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Liverpool – 75.9%

  Draw – 14.3%

  Nottingham Forest – 9.8%

• Ronaldo: 'You cannot rebuild Man United without knowledge'

  Cristiano Ronaldo believes Manchester United "cannot rebuild without knowledge" as he urged Erik ten Hag to take advice from assistant coach - and former Red Devils striker - Ruud van Nistelrooy.

  United opened the Premier League season with a 1-0 win over Fulham, but then suffered back-to-back defeats against Brighton and Hove Albion and Liverpool.

  It is the second time under Ten Hag the Red Devils have lost as many as two of their first three league games in a season (also 2022-23); as many times as in their previous 29 campaigns combined.

  United have also scored three goals fewer than their xG suggests they should have so far this term (two goals, 5.2 xG), the biggest such difference for any team in the Premier League.

  Ten Hag was recently joined in the dugout by compatriot Van Nistelrooy, who scored 150 in 219 appearances at Old Trafford between 2001 and 2006.

  And Ronaldo - the scorer of 145 in 346 games across his two spells - thinks the Red Devils will benefit from the wisdom of people with prior experience and knowledge of the club.

  "[As the] Man United manager; you cannot say that you're not going to fight to win the Premier League or Champions League," he told former team-mate Rio Ferdinand on FiveUK.

  "You've to say: 'maybe we've not got the potential, but we're going to try'. You have to try!

  "If Ten Hag listens to Ruud van Nistelrooy, maybe he can help. He knows the club and the club should listen to the guys who were there [like] Rio, Roy Keane, [Paul] Scholes, Gary Neville, Alex Ferguson. You cannot rebuild a club without knowledge."

  United return to action this weekend away at pointless Southampton, against whom they are unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League visits since a 1-0 defeat in August 2003.

  The Red Devils have also lost just one of their last 30 Premier League matches against promoted sides, winning 15 of their last 17 such games.