Day three of the knockout stages at Euro 2024 certainly did not disappoint.

France edged out Belgium in perhaps the most eagerly anticipated tie of the last 16 on Monday, but most of the drama came later on as Portugal took on Slovenia.

Cristiano Ronaldo and his Selecao team-mates survived an almighty scare to progress on penalties, with the likes of Diogo Costa and Pepe making history.

Here, we run through all the best Opta facts and stats from a thrilling day of action in Germany.

France 1-0 Belgium: Kante makes history as Bleus get lucky again

The first game of the day saw France edge out neighbours Belgium in a heavyweight clash, though Didier Deschamps' Bleus were far from their best once again.

Only a Jan Vertonghen own goal five minutes from time – forced by Randal Kolo Muani's wayward shot – secured their place in the quarter-finals, as their wait for an open-play goal at Euro 2024 went on.

Alongside Kylian Mbappe's penalty against Poland on matchday three, France have benefitted from two own goals – the other coming via Austria's Max Wober in a 1-0 win in their opening match.

There have now been five instances of a team winning 1-0 via an own goal at the Euros, with France accounting for three of them (versus Germany in 2020, and Austria and Belgium in 2024).

Aged 37 years and 68 days, former Tottenham centre-back Vertonghen became the oldest ever player to score an own goal at the European Championships.

Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku went close at the other end, but in truth, Belgium did not carve out many clear-cut chances.

They have now failed to score in five of their last six games at major international tournaments (European Championship and World Cup), despite having a combined 59 attempts on goal worth 6.85 expected goals (xG) across those matches.

France have now won all five of their major tournament meetings with Belgium (European Championship and World Cup), the joint-best 100% win rate any European nation has against another across those two competitions combined (also Italy versus Austria).

N'Golo Kante's recall to their midfield has been a major talking point at this tournament, and he won both of his tackles and created two chances in a typically tireless performance.

He has now played the most outright matches in European Championship history without ever losing (90 minutes only), winning seven and drawing five of his 12 games.

Portugal 0-0 Slovenia (aet, 3-0 pens): History for Costa and Pepe as Ronaldo's blushes spared

France will face Portugal for a semi-final place after the Selecao survived a monumental scare in their last-16 tie, beating Slovenia on penalties after a goalless draw in Frankfurt.

Much of the tie came down to a battle between Cristiano Ronaldo and Jan Oblak, former rivals in LaLiga with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

Ronaldo had seven shots worth 1.33 expected goals (xG) in the 120 minutes but simply could not find a way through, breaking down in tears when he had an extra-time penalty repelled by Oblak, who made six saves.

Ronaldo has now taken nine penalties in major international tournament matches, failing to score on three occasions.

He has had 20 shots worth 2.7 xG overall at Euro 2024, the most attempts at the tournament and the fifth-most without netting at any edition of the competition, after Deco in 2004 (24), Fernando Hierro in 1996 (23), Kevin De Bruyne in 2016 and Dani Olmo at Euro 2020 (both 21).

However, he atoned in the shoot-out with an accurate first Portugal kick, then it was down to Diogo Costa to save all three of Slovenia's penalties and send his team through.

He made more saves in the shoot-out (three) than in the 120 minutes preceding it, though Portugal were also indebted to him for making a huge one-on-one stop from Benjamin Sesko in the second half of extra time.

He is the first goalkeeper to ever save three kicks in a European Championship shoot-out, and the first to not concede a single kick.

There was also a piece of history for Pepe, who became the oldest player to feature in a knockout-stage match at a World Cup or European Championship, doing so at the age of 41 years and 126 days to overtake England's Peter Shilton (40 years, 292 days at the 1990 World Cup).

France manager Didier Deschamps says Kylian Mbappe is "raring to go", hinting that the forward could be back in the fold for their final Euro 2024 group game against Poland.

Mbappe suffered a broken nose after a collision with Kevin Danso during the win over Austria in their opening game and sat out of their goalless draw with the Netherlands last Friday.

Having been fitted with a protective mask, the France captain is back in full training, and scored two goals in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Saturday.

France are not yet guaranteed a place in the knockout stages of the competition, but they will be if they avoid defeat against Poland, who were the first team to crash out of Euro 2024.

And, after struggling to break down a stubborn Dutch side in their last game, Mbappe's return would be a welcome one for Deschamps, though he admits it could be difficult for him to adapt to the mask.

"It's better every day," Deschamps said. "He was in our training sessions. The bruise has gone down a lot. He's getting used to the mask.

"He wants to play, he's raring to go. He wanted to play against the Netherlands, and he wants to play tomorrow.

"[He has] no problems with breathing but the way he sees, yes. For those who play with a mask, it's not a constraint, but it does limit your vision. He wears it because he needs to protect his face in certain incidents that could occur.

"There will be contact regardless of where you play, whenever you have those one-vs-ones. Obviously, yes, it's maybe hindering, but it'll be something he'll get used to. It's like wearing those 3D glasses. We have as thin a mask as possible."

N'Golo Kante has been France's stand-out performer at the tournament so far, being awarded Player of the Match in both of their games, after a two-year absence from the squad.

He is looking forward to linking up with Mbappe on the pitch as France aim to end their dry spell in front of goal.

"We all know his qualities as a finisher," Kante said. "One of the reassuring facts is that we had a lot of chances without him. With him, we can be more effective.

"With Kylian back, I think that can help us to score and win. Clearly, it's a big plus to have Kylian back.

"He was great, decisive, dangerous, he played really well in the training session. To be honest, I forgot that he was wearing a mask.

"I hope that will reflect on the pitch tomorrow."

Saturday's Euro 2024 action was headlined by some of the game's biggest stars, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Kevin De Bruyne grabbing the attention.

Ronaldo recorded his record-breaking seventh Euros assist – and was inundated with requests for photos from pitch invaders – as Portugal clinched top spot in Group F with a 3-0 win over Turkiye.

De Bruyne then joined Youri Tielemans on the scoresheet as Belgium beat Romania 2-0, teeing up a tense finale in Group E.

Georgia and Czechia, meanwhile, played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in Hamburg, leaving both teams needing a victory on the final matchday to have any chance of advancing.

But what else was going on around Euro 2024? Here, we run through the best social media posts of the day.

Eze and Konsa pool together

England's social media accounts have been a trove of entertaining content throughout this tournament, and on Saturday's edition of their Lions' Den livestream, Eberechi Eze and Ezri Konsa took centre-stage.

Eze and Konsa took on the 'what a clearance' challenge, looking to clear a pool table as quickly as possible as a pairing.

A respectable score put them third on the leaderboard, but they were unable to match the top two pairings – Declan Rice and Ivan Toney, and Jarrod Bowen and Marc Guehi.

Kante shows off

France's goalless draw with the Netherlands on Friday may not have been a game for the neutrals, but we were at least treated to another tireless display from N'Golo Kane.

Even at the age of 33 and after a season in the Saudi Pro League, Kante remains one of the game's top box-to-box midfielders, covering every blade of grass against the Oranje.

On Saturday, France's official X account proved once and for all that a year out of the European game has not affected Kante's physique… 

It's fair to say he remains in tip-top condition.

Cologne turns yellow for Romania

A sizeable contingent of Romanian fans made their opening game at Euro 2024 a real spectacle, forming a wall of yellow in Munich as they crushed Ukraine 3-0.

On Saturday, they headed to Cologne for their second match against Belgium, which ended in defeat despite a spirited performance.

The highlight of the day for many supporters will surely have been the pre-match scenes, as they turned the historic city centre yellow.

Ronaldo's pride as Portugal progress

Portugal's game against Turkiye was interrupted on several occasions as pitch invaders attempted to grab a photograph with one of the world's most famous players.

Ronaldo had already made his mark on the pitch with an assist for former Manchester United team-mate Bruno Fernandes, as the Selecao demonstrated their credentials with a 3-0 victory.

After the game, he took to social media to share a few snaps of his own, as well as some words of congratulations for his Portugal team-mates.

Scotland savour the view

Scotland's Euro 2024 adventure could come to an end on Sunday, with Steve Clarke's men requiring a victory over Hungary to have a chance of reaching the last 16.

If they are sent packing after this weekend, they will definitely miss the scenic views at their Garmisch-Partenkirchen base camp.

They will be hoping Saturday's training session was not their last set to this jaw-dropping mountain vista. 

Like a fine wine

Portugal's victory over Turkiye featured another composed performance from 41-year-old centre-back Pepe.

The former Real Madrid man displayed his excellent reading of the game to cut out one menacing counterattack from Turkiye with the score at 1-0 and was generally excellent throughout.

Pepe may be no slouch, but we're pretty sure UEFA have done him a favour with this picture… 

France's draw with the Netherlands at Euro 2024 saw N'Golo Kante extend a record run at major tournaments.

Les Bleus drew 0-0 with the Dutch in a somewhat underwhelming encounter in Leipzig on Friday.

Kante was the star performer, picking up the Player of the Match award for the second match in a row.

And the midfielder has now registered 17 appearances at major tournaments for Les Bleus, without suffering a single defeat (not including penalty shoot-outs).

The 2018 World Cup winner is four games clear of any other European player when it comes to such a streak.

Italians Simone Perrotta (13) and Fulvio Collovati (12) are second and third on the all-time list, ahead of Andre Schurlle (11), Carlos Marchena (11) and Paul Gascoigne (11).

Kante has won 12 of his 17 matches at the Euros/World Cup, playing in five draws.

France's slatemate against the Netherlands leaves them second in Group D, though the favourites are still in a strong position to progress.

Kylian Mbappe suffering a late head injury marred France's Euro 2024 victory over Austria as Didier Deschamps was left concerned about the Les Bleus star.

The Real Madrid-bound attacker sustained a blow to his nose after an aerial challenge with Austria's Kevin Danso before Mbappe was withdrawn on Monday.

France held on for a 1-0 victory in Dusseldorf to move level with fellow Group D leaders Netherlands, but Deschamps will have to sweat over Mbappe's fitness before facing Ronald Koeman's men on Friday.

"[His] nose is not good at all," the France head coach, who hit 100 wins in charge of his country with the victory over Ralf Rangnick's side, told reporters.

"Even if it's just the nose, it's the big negative point for us tonight."

Mbappe missed a gilt-edged opportunity in the second half as his wait for a European Championship goal continued.

The former Paris Saint-Germain man remains without a goal from a total of 18 shots in the tournament, while he has registered 12 strikes from 39 attempts at the World Cup.

Mbappe played the cross in for Max Wober's decisive first-half own-goal, however, as the centre-back's inadvertent error proved the difference in the pair's tournament opener.

France are the first European side at major tournaments (World Cup/Euros) to benefit from 10 own-goals, four more than any other side – Germany are the next best on six.

Deschamps was still satisfied with Les Bleus' work, though acknowledged their failure in front of goal.

"Happy with what the players did even if we missed opportunities to double the tally," he added. "It was not perfect but we were solid.

"We could have been more efficient offensively but it's good to start with a win.

"There's quality and talent but being solid and working together is also important. We're not going to be over-confident, but it's a good start."

N'Golo Kante was named as the Player of the Match after his efficient display in midfield, having only returned to the international setup for this tournament after a two-year absence.

No France player made more successful tackles than Kante's two (level with Jules Kounde), while the midfielder's pair of interceptions marked the most for Les Bleus.

"Everything was not perfect but we have the result we wanted, this is a good start," Kante said. "There are solid foundations, we have to be more efficient.

"It makes me happy to be back. Things have changed, makes it feels good to get back into this jersey."

The defeat ended a run of seven games without a loss for Austria in all competitions (W6 D1), while it was only their second reverse in their last 17 matches (W12 D3).

Yet former Manchester United boss Rangnick refused to point the blame at any of Austria's players.

"We are all very disappointed... we allowed France to go ahead, they didn't shoot their goal, it was an unlucky own goal by us," Rangnick said.

"I think no one can accuse the team of not being engaged enough, not running enough. They gave their everything.

"They didn't always make the right decisions with the ball. But it isn't easy, the French were aggressive, and played compactly and that wasn't a surprise."

France are preparing to open their Euro 2024 campaign against Austria on Monday, and Les Bleus cannot wait to welcome back a familiar face in N'Golo Kante.

The former Chelsea man has been hampered by hamstring issues before requiring surgery, while his move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad saw Kante dropped by Didier Deschamps.

Diminutive midfielder Kante had not appeared in international football over the last two years but made his return to Les Bleus' squad for the tournament in Germany.

Calling upon years of trophy-winning experience in the middle, Kante's France team-mates have been impressed with the 33-year-old's efforts in warm-up friendlies against Luxembourg and Canada.

"I had the impression that there were three of him," French forward Marcus Thurman joked at a press conference on Saturday.

"There's no time to play in training any more. As soon as we have him on our team, we win. He has reminded us in a week why he was one of the greatest midfielders in Europe."

Olivier Giroud echoed a similar sentiment when praising the two-time Premier League champion on Friday.

"He has not changed," veteran Giroud said. "He is the same player I have known for years in the national team and at Chelsea. He is everywhere. It's great to have him with us."

The 55-cap international appears set to start when France open their Group D campaign against Austria in Dusseldorf, if Deschamps' high praise last week is anything to go by.

"For those who had doubts about his abilities and the intensity of play, he is still at the same level," said Deschamps after Kante's surprise recall.

"Even though he hasn't been here for a while, he's not out of place."

N'Golo Kante has been named as a surprise inclusion in France's squad for Euro 2024.

Kante has not played for Les Bleus since 2022, but despite the long exodus from the squad, the Al Ittihad midfielder has been named in head coach Didier Deschamps' 26-man squad for the upcoming tournament in Germany.

The squad is headlined by Kylian Mbappe, who has plied his trade for Paris Saint-Germain since 2017 but looks set to move to Real Madrid in the upcoming window. Mbappe's PSG team-mate Bradley Barcola makes the squad for the first time.

Also making the journey to Germany will be Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann and William Saliba, though Bayern Munich's Lucas Hernandez misses out through injury.

Among the notable exclusions are Chelsea's Christopher Nkunku and Crystal Palace's Michael Olise, who both miss out despite recently returning to fitness in the Premier League.

France will play two warm-up friendlies against Luxembourg and then Canada, before they kick off their Euro 2024 campaign against Austria on June 17. France will also face the Netherlands and Poland in the group stage as they look to reclaim the European Championships crown they lost to Italy in the 2020 edition.

France squad

Alphonse Areola (West Ham), Mike Maignan (Milan), Brice Samba (Lens); Jonathan Clauss (Marseille), Theo Hernandez (Milan), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Ferland Mendy (Madrid), Benjamin Pavard (Inter), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich); Eduardo Camavinga (Madrid), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico), N'Golo Kante (Al Ittihad), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Aurelien Tchouameni (Madrid), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain); Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain), Olivier Giroud (Milan), Randal Kolo Muani (Paris Saint-Germain), Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain), Marcus Thuram (Inter).

France midfielder N’Golo Kante joined Chelsea from Premier League champions Leicester for a reported £32million, on this day in 2016.

Kante’s only season with the Foxes, following his arrival from Caen the previous summer, saw him play a pivotal role in their title-winning campaign.

He was offered a bumper new contract at the King Power Stadium but opted to leave for Chelsea.

“Despite the offer of a substantially-improved, long-term contract, it became apparent that N’Golo’s wish was to join Chelsea,” said a Leicester statement.

Kante cited the opportunity to work under then-Blues boss Antonio Conte as a major reason for moving to Stamford Bridge.

“I am so happy to have signed for one of the biggest clubs in Europe. It’s adream come true for me,” he said.

“The opportunity to work with a brilliant coach and some of the best players in the world was simply too good to turn down.”

Chelsea won the Premier League during Kante’s first season in London as the now 32-year-old became the first player since Eric Cantona in 1993 to win back-to-back top-flight titles in England with two clubs.

Kante also won the FA Cup, Europa League and Champions League before leaving Stamford Bridge this summer for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad.

N’Golo Kante will join Saudi club Al-Ittihad when his Chelsea contract expires at the end of June, the club has confirmed.

The 32-year-old midfielder joined from Leicester in 2016 and has won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge.

He had been an integral part of the Foxes’ surprise title success under Claudio Ranieri after arriving in England from Caen in 2015, just two years after having played in the French fourth tier.

Chelsea co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley told the club website: “N’Golo’s impact and influence during his time at Chelsea cannot be overstated. His tireless performances in midfield contributed to several trophy wins and has guaranteed him a place in the club’s history.

“We wish him well as he embarks on the next chapter in his career.”

His final season at the club was blighted by injury. He required hamstring surgery in October and was unavailable to former manager Graham Potter until March, in all making only seven Premier League appearances across the campaign.

He becomes the first major departure since Mauricio Pochettino was confirmed as the club’s new manager, with a reduction in size of a bloated first-team squad amongst the Argentinean’s priorities.

Kante, who won the World Cup with France in Russia in 2018, becomes the latest in a succession of high-profile names to move to the Saudi Professional League.

His international team-mate Karim Benzema has already agreed to join Al-Ittihad after 14 seasons at Real Madrid, following Cristiano Ronaldo who moved to Al Nassr from Manchester United in December.

Wolves captain Ruben Neves has reportedly agreed a £47million move to Al Hilal with an announcement expected from the club this week.

At 26 he will be the youngest big name to leave a European club for Saudi Arabia.

Chelsea outcasts Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Romelu Lukaku and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have also been linked with moves to the Gulf state.

Lionel Messi's club future remains uncertain, with his Paris Saint-Germain contract at the end of this season.

The two parties have not reached any agreement on a new deal, while there has been speculation linking the 35-year-old with a return to Barcelona.

Messi has also been linked with big-money moves to clubs in Saudi Arabia and the United States.

TOP STORY – PSG WILLING TO MOVE ON FROM MESSI

Paris Saint-Germain are willing to let Lionel Messi exit on a free transfer in the upcoming off-season, reports the Sunday Mirror.

Contract talks between Messi and PSG have stalled in the months following Argentina's World Cup triumph, having reportedly been close to penning an extension.

The report claims PSG are "in no rush" to extend Messi's deal as interest, with president Nasser Al-Khelaifi looking to run the club in a more sustainable way, relying less on star power.

ROUND-UP

– Bayern Munich's number one striker target in the off-season remains Napoli's Victor Osimhen following talks with officials and new boss Thomas Tuchel, claims BILD. The German champions are also keen on Tottenham's Harry Kane, Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani.

– Barcelona are considering off-season moves for Chelsea duo N'Golo Kante and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang , reports The Mirror.

– Fabrizio Romano claims Liverpool and Manchester United will both hold talks with Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister will take place "very soon".

– Brentford’s David Raya, Porto’s Diogo Costa and Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili are all on Manchester United's goalkeeper shortlist to replace David De Gea, according to GiveMeSport.

– Football Insider claims Aston Villa are readying a £55m combined bid for Manchester City pair Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips.

– Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou is on Chelsea's shortlist to be their new permanent manager, reports The Guardian.

Frank Lampard was able to recall Thiago Silva as the veteran defender returned from injury for Chelsea's Champions League quarter-final first leg at Real Madrid.

Chelsea are facing Madrid at this stage of the competition for the second consecutive season, having been agonisingly eliminated in extra time at the Santiago Bernabeu last year.

The Blues are at least boosted by the presence of Silva in the line-up for this latest trip to Madrid, however.

The 38-year-old has been out with a knee ligament injury since late February, missing the European win against Borussia Dortmund and a host of domestic matches that led to Graham Potter's dismissal.

Silva is back working under former boss Lampard, who also brought back N'Golo Kante after he was rested at Wolves on Saturday.

Kante's inclusion saw a change of shape as 2021 final hero Kai Havertz missed out as a difficult season continues, while Ben Chilwell was preferred to Marc Cucurella.

Madrid, like Chelsea, had shuffled their pack at the weekend with little left to play for in the league. They similarly lost to Villarreal.

But Carlo Ancelotti restored his XI from the prior 4-0 win at Barcelona in the Copa del Rey.

Karim Benzema, selected up front, has scored his past 10 Champions League goals in knockout games against English sides, with four of those coming against Chelsea last season.

He netted a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge before his extra-time goal took Madrid through.

N'Golo Kante was omitted as Frank Lampard named his first starting line-up since returning to Chelsea as caretaker manager, with the midfielder rested ahead of the Blues' Champions League trip to Real Madrid.

Lampard opted to make two changes to Chelsea's side for Saturday's Premier League trip to Wolves, introducing England internationals Raheem Sterling and Conor Gallagher.

With Chelsea reverting to a back four after Bruno Saltor used a 3-5-2 system in Tuesday's goalless draw with Liverpool, Ben Chilwell was dropped to the bench and Kante was absent entirely.

Kante made his first Premier League start since last August against Liverpool, having missed the majority of the campaign with a hamstring injury.

However, Lampard played down any concerns regarding Kante's condition before kick-off, telling Sky Sports: "There's no worries with N'Golo. We're fine with him and managing him through. 

"He's been out for a long time so we have a way of managing him. I was aware of that when I was at the club before.

"Then there are a couple of other selection issues, some small concerns, so we have to protect a couple of the players in the squad."

Mason Mount was also absent for the Blues, with reports suggesting the midfielder suffered a recurrence of a previous injury in training on Friday.

The Athletic reported Mount – who has been linked with a move away after failing to agree a new contract with the Blues – could also miss the first leg of Chelsea's quarter-final tie with Madrid.

Chelsea travel to the Santiago Bernabeu to face Carlo Ancelotti's European champions on Wednesday, before welcoming Los Blancos to Stamford Bridge six days later.

Chelsea's interim head coach Bruno Saltor hailed his players' response to a difficult few days after the Blues enjoyed the better of the play in Tuesday's goalless draw with Liverpool.

Chelsea missed several clear chances to win their first game since Graham Potter's sacking, with Kai Havertz denied a second-half winner by a VAR review after a shot rebounded into the net via his arm.

The result keeps the Blues in the bottom half of the Premier League table, but there was cause for optimism after a game in which Liverpool managed just two shots from inside the Blues' area.

Speaking after the draw, former Brighton and Hove Albion full-back Bruno outlined his pride in Chelsea's performance, despite them failing to net in a sixth different home league game this season.

"I asked the players to play with their hearts and I think we saw that," the Spaniard told Sky Sports. "We gave everything, we created chances. We scored twice, one offside and one handball.

"I think it was a big performance from the boys, it's a good start for them after some difficult, emotional days.

"They were able to keep themselves focused, to use their heads and their hearts as well, so credit to them.

"It's been a really difficult season for them. To come back from the news we had in the last few days is incredible. 

"It shows they are able to focus on the moment and on performing well. They have to be proud of themselves."

One major positive for Chelsea came in the form of N'Golo Kante, who gave an energetic performance as he captained the side on his first league start since last August.

Kante won five of his seven duels and was successful with all three of his attempted tackles, but Bruno believes being able to lean on his experience is equally crucial for Chelsea.

"He's outstanding," Bruno said of Kante. "Both with what he brings to the team in terms of football, and what he brings in terms of leadership. He's a massive plus for the team."

With the appointment of Potter's long-term successor not believed to be imminent, Bruno was asked if he expects to be in place for Saturday's trip to Wolves, but the 42-year-old is taking things day by day. 

"I expect to go home now and rest, then go game by game," he said. "That's what we are trying to do, trying to be as professional as we can, help the club and present the best that we can.

"It's a difficult situation, but I think everyone is doing the best they can. We just need to relax, be calm and assess the boys. I know it sounds boring, but it's a day by day job.

"The only thing I can say is I'm happy for the first performance, but it's what they [the players] deserve. It's credit to them, it's not credit to me."

Virgil van Dijk has been ruled out of Liverpool's Premier League trip to Chelsea through illness, with Mohamed Salah surprisingly named on the bench as Jurgen Klopp makes six changes to his side.

Van Dijk reportedly missed training after feeling unwell ahead of Tuesday's game at Stamford Bridge, where Liverpool are looking to end a run of three successive defeats either side of the international break.

The defender previously missed seven games with a hamstring injury in January and February, with the Reds suffering demoralising defeats at Brighton and Hove Albion and Wolves in his absence.

Van Dijk is not the only notable absentee from Klopp's starting lineup in west London, with Salah joining Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson in dropping to the bench.

Joe Gomez and Konstantinos Tsimikas replace the full-back pair, while Curtis Jones, Joel Matip, Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino have been brought in, with Harvey Elliott and Cody Gakpo also replaced. 

Chelsea's interim head coach Bruno Saltor, meanwhile, has made two changes to the side that began Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa – a result that led to Graham Potter's dismissal.

N'Golo Kante will captain Chelsea on his first Premier League start since last August, with Wesley Fofana the second player introduced by former Brighton and Hove Albion full-back Bruno.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mykhailo Mudryk are both named on the bench after starting the defeat against Villa, a result that left Chelsea mired inside the Premier League's bottom half.

Chelsea have been handed a boost as head coach Graham Potter prepares to welcome Reece James and N'Golo Kante back from injury for their Premier League game against Aston Villa.

Having played the last six minutes in England's 2-1 away win against Italy, James withdrew from the England squad with an injury but has been training with Chelsea since.

Kante has not featured since August after suffering a hamstring injury that required surgery, but is in line to feature against Villa after playing in a series of behind-closed-doors friendlies during the break.

"Reece has had the last two training sessions with us so providing there is no reaction he should be available," Potter said at a press conference on Friday. 

"N'Golo has had some time on the pitch, some game time, so that's good for him.

"We have to manage that because he's been out for so long but I'm pretty sure he will be out on the pitch at some point."

Potter also confirmed that Saturday's fixture will come too soon for defensive trio Thiago Silva, Cesar Azpilicueta and Wesley Fofana, while Raheem Sterling is also set to miss the game. 

"Silva and Azpilicueta are still away. Raheem and Fofana are coming back but will miss the game, they have more of a chance for Tuesday [v Liverpool]," Potter said.

Mason Mount was another forced to pull out of the England squad with a pubic bone injury and has endured a tough season with just three Premier League goals so far.

The 24-year-old's contract expires at the end of next season but despite rumours over his future at the London club, Potter was full of praise for Mount's attitude.

"Mount has trained and is available, probably not for the start," he said.

"It's been tough for him because he's had niggly injuries and noise off the pitch. He's a top professional, how he's acted with me and around us has been top. 

"Sometimes if things in your career aren't optimal, you've got to act well and he has."

Chelsea sit in 10th place in the league and look to bounce back from their disappointing 2-2 draw with relegation-threatened Everton.

Unai Emery's Villa are level on points with the Blues in 11th and are unbeaten in their last four league games.