Every word Arne Slot said on transfers, double Liverpool injury blow and Nottingham Forest game

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has spoken to the media ahead of facing Nottingham Forest this weekend, with the Reds boss offering the latest update on injuries and much more ahead of the Premier League resuming. Here is what he had to say.

Could Liverpool sign a center-back in January?

"This was one of the questions I didn't expect, talking about signings in the winter break. I think there are so many games to be played before that and in the position we are in it's the last thing that's on my mind. Maybe not on Richard Hughes', but it's the last thing on my mind. It's not a topic at all for me at the moment.

"We have at this moment of time three centre-backs — with Joe Gomez included, of course — and maybe Ryan [Gravenberch] and Wata [Endo] who can play in that position. Maybe you are not aware of it yet but we have other positions at the moment which are a bit more of an issue."

Does Liverpool have to be perfect to retain the Premier League title?

"I think I've said many times already that at this moment of time we are not even thinking or talking about that. Actually, we didn't do this last season as well when we were top of the league. It's just about the next game. I've said many times last season and I say this this season again as well, the best way to judge a league table is after 38 games.

"But the next best thing, in my opinion, is after 19 games. Let's see where we are then. But at this moment of time, the only focus we have is winning games of football — which actually was the same last season at this moment of time."

What is the latest on Alisson Becker and other injuries?

"Robbo [Andy Robertson] didn’t train [on Thursday] for private reasons, but he will be with us today. Alisson [Becker] trained last week and this week so he will be able to play tomorrow if things work out well today again.

"But we do have some issues after the international break unfortunately. Conor Bradley is unable to play [and] Florian Wirtz is unable to play. That’s far from ideal."

On Andy Robertson's emotional Diogo Jota tribute after qualifying for the World Cup...

"We are always judged — sometimes fair, sometimes unfair. I saw the interview as well live. I know that is an issue for us, which I think is completely normal. But in these moments of time we, I, always think about how much it feels for his wife and his children, because that's so, so, so much harder for them than it is for us. But that we miss the player and the person, that is completely clear.

"Maybe it tells you even more now we play Nottingham Forest; last season we were 1-0 down at Forest and it only took him one minute to score the equalizer. So now I'm talking about the player that we miss for sure, because this time we haven't managed to come back as many times as last season after being 1-0 down or a goal down.

"He definitely played his part in that last season. But that we also miss him as a person, that is completely clear. But again, his wife and children will miss him so, so, so much more. His parents, by the way, as well."

On being reminded of Diogo Jota...

"I think it's good for us to [remember] him every time possible because, like I said, the person and the player he was. But it's impossible to measure what it does to the players and then to measure what it does to our results. The last thing I would do is to use it as an excuse because simply I don't know.

"What I do know is that we miss the player — that's 100 per cent sure — and we also miss the person, but I cannot measure what impact that has on our performances, let alone on our results. That's impossible for me to say and we will never use it as an excuse because that doesn't feel right."

Nottingham Forest have had two different managers since last season's fixture...

"True, two changes [to the manager]. Not one manager is the same as another one but the playing style of Nuno [Espirito Santo] comes closer to the one of Sean Dyche, than it comes closer to the one of Ange Postecoglou maybe.

"Again, not similar but closer. So, I think it's probably going to be a similar type of game than it was the last time we faced them now, with Sean Dyche taking over from Ange Postecoglou."

Why has Liverpool struggled to find early goals?

"I am aware we mostly go 1-0 down instead of 1-0 up recently. I cannot give you an explanation for that at this moment in time, I maybe need a little bit more time to think about it, but it does have an impact on a game. I said many times [Manchester] City deserved the lead in the first half completely, but it does make a big difference if you go into half-time 1-1.

"Then, when a goal is disallowed for not unreasonable reasons and then two seconds later you are 2-0 down... goals have a lot of impact on games, that's for sure. But I cannot give you an explanation why it is at this moment in time."

Has he spoken with Dominik Szoboszlai and Milos Kerkez about their Hungary World Cup heartbreak?

"We did talk about it; I spoke not only with him but also with Milos [Kerkez] because for the both of them it was a very big disappointment, of course. Being so close to the play-off games and then going out in the extra-time of extra-time, which was fair because I checked it. I was curious to see if there would have been a substitution in those five minutes but I think there were two, so the referee was right in this situation that he added some extra-time in extra-time.

"Then it is really hard that you concede, especially because on the other side you see with Robbo what it means to a country and to a player that haven't qualified for so long. The same would have been for Hungary, of course, although playing play-off games doesn't mean you will qualify but it gives you a chance.

"I asked him if there is now still a chance because I don't have a clue what is happening — Alexander Isak with Sweden, they have one point out of five or six games, but they still have a chance to go to the World Cup because they won Group C of the Nations League, where Hungary were in Group A and they did not win that, so they are not involved.

"It's hard for him that they've actually had quite a good season or two seasons with the national team, being in Group A and picking up quite a lot of points in their [qualifying] group, but not qualifying. It's hard but recently at our club he's a little bit used to disappointments, but not such a big one as this one maybe. He will be fine, he will always work as hard as he can and I don't expect him to do any different tomorrow."