Liverpool are set to play their last match of the new Champions League opening format on Wednesday evening when they travel to PSV Eindhoven. The Reds need just a point to secure top spot, having won their previous seven matches in the competition.
And Arne Slot is back on familiar ground, leading Liverpool against a side who he competed with for the Eredivisie title when he was Feyenoord boss in the Netherlands.
The Dutchman has some major calls to make for the match. With a top two spot already secured and little difference in terms of the upcoming knockout stage draw for the side that finishes top of the new format, Slot may choose to rotate heavily and rest several of his top stars.
He'll likely be without Curtis Jones for the match after the midfielder was substituted at half-time of Liverpool's 2-1 win over Lille last week. The midfielder missed the win over Ipswich Town on Saturday and Slot said last week he'd be assessed ahead of the trip to PSV Eindhoven.
Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez are the only other two senior players still sidelined with injury, with Slot expected to offer an update on the two players this afternoon.
The ECHO's chief LFC reporter, Ian Doyle, is in Eindhoven to bring you live updates from Slot's press conference, as well as breakouts, reaction and much more.
Bye bye
There goes Cody Gakpo and that's the end of this press conference. There was a lot of Dutch in there. A lot.
Gakpo on PSV
They are first I believe, four points above second and are doing well. The most important thing is if they continue in this way they are doing well.
Gakpo on Slot difference
In ball possession we face these games in a different way. We play more on ball possession. In some periods during a game we prefer more ball possession and to break the opponent. When we lose the bal, we still have the energy to play high pressure and get ball back and it starts again.
Gakpo on difference to last year
This time last year, Mo was injured at AFCON, Darwin did his hamstring, Dominik was out and Curtis was out and Trent was out and Jota was out, Ali was out as well.
We had some problems last year which didn't help.
This year at this point almost everyone is fit and we hope to keep it this way and keep going.
A year has gone by and as a team you get more experience and togetherness. We are growing this year and hopefully can bring it to a good end.
Gakpo on being v PSV
I've never been in away dressing room and other side when the teams walk out. It will be different but when the game starts those things will fade away.
We are going for the win and hopefully it will be a good game.
Before I played as central striker I was a left winger. I always was a left winger and now I'm back where I play my best, in my opinion.
Gakpo on being subbed v Ipswich after scoring twice
He said it was for this game.
As captain? There are other players who are also here who also deserve to be captain.
Gakpo on last season
I think last season we had a period where we had many injuries and that didn't help.
Some of the players came back without their form or shape. We were still in an important period in the league so it all happened at the same time in a bad moment.
Now we have a good group in form and shape with a lot of quality.
Gakpo on fan reception
I hope I will get a positive moment and people receive me positively.
I've always had a great bond with the fans and the club.
If I score, I don't think I will cheer that much as I am thankful for this club. I don't think I'll be too enthusiastic.
Gakpo on being back at PSV
It will be a beautiful moment for me. The coach knew I wanted to be part of the team.
Since I left I have grown up, am more mature and have more experience in my legs.
All my family will be here.
Slot on people wanting tickets for the game
Not that many people. My family is here, my brother... I don't know if it's always like this but when they want a ticket at Liverpool sometimes they have to sit in the away end! I still think Liverpool fans are looking forward to this game.
Slot on following Feyenoord this season
Of course I do. I follow the Eredivisie but I see less than I used to.
They are doing great in the Champions League and I guess they'd want to do better in the Eredivisie.
Slot on difference between Holland and England
You have to see this in context, there's more money to spend in England.
But I wouldn't say the players from PSV have less quality than Dutch national team or us. But in Holland you'd say the lower half of the table there's maybe one play who could play for Ajax, PSV or Feyenoord but in England every team has a player who can play for a top club. The managers are really good in England. This makes it a bigger challenge.
Slot on his great start
The only way I look is how can I bring in my style of play with this style of team.
There were so characteristics I shared with Jurgen Klopp in style of play which is why I got brought in.
For the draw in Champions League I'd have hoped this game was still important as some of the English journalists in the room know it will be difficult to perform here. I'm happy we are in the position we are in now. It doesn't matter if we win or lose tomorrow.
Slot on changes again
I'm looking at the long-term of the process of group management. It will be strange if the group has the same level as other games. When they play in the League Cup they could beat Southampton and Brighton. It wasn't that easy but we did win. Cody Gakpo I decided to bring him for example. I do think about some sentiments but he didn't play against Lille last week...
Slot on being a 'saint'
When I look in the mirror it's not always pleasant, I must confess. I wish I had a bit more hair, for example!
People were quite positive about me when I was at Feyenoord but it gives you pressure to perform in the next game.
At Feyenoord they want you to be first every game. You can only influence what you control and we work very hard for that.
I look at myself in the mirror but not very often as I'm working very hard.
Slot on CL format
I've said you can only judge it at end of the tournament. Maybe if you look at teams that are now 16, 17th or 17th spot, some clubs can change.
In the past, some of the clubs who performed worse and still continued in the play-off stage they can reach further in the tournament.
I worked for a club who it wasn't easy to continue, so far them it's even better.
Slot on biggest critic - his dad
I didn't receive any messages off people here, but I received a lot of messages off people in general.
My father won't be here as he says he can watch it much better on television and see more things.
What I don't miss in the Netherlands is the amount of traffic we have so I don't think he'll want to drive two and a half hours and much longer that! I don't think he'll be watching with too many nerves from the couch at home.
Slot on the missing players
They will be off if possible we want them to be off three days before a game. They will train on Thursday so a few staff members will go home earlier to the ones who stayed behind. But they will be off tomorrow.
Slot on thoughts
When you are in this job, tomorrow we play PSV then Bournemouth and Tottenham. Then FA Cup and another game during the week. I am working on PSV and Bournemouth but yes I am lookign to the match against Bournemouth as well.
Slot on PSV
Last season I saw a bit more than this season. Last season they were incredible. This season I think they have dropped a few points more than last season but not that big of a difference.
The football philosphies are similar. What is similar is he wants the ball a lot, he wants to bring the ball out from the back. For PSV fans they are really happy Peter (Bosz) is here. It's a joy to watch, always positive, eventful, things happen. The fans in Eindhoven are very happy not only because they won the league, but also the playing style.
I would hope there comes a time when managers are also judged on playing style which is difficult as we are judged if we win we play well if we lose we didn't play well.
Slot on shadow squad
They don't need to prove themselves, we know what their quality is. But we are playing like all the teams in Europe many, many, many games. These player are ready. For the long term, it doesn't tell us anything about Saturday, but the long term it's been almost every time after three or five or five weeks we gave them a break whether it was League Cup. A moment of them to get freshness back, we've always done that. It took me a while to understand this format but I can be 100% sure that it doesn't matter at all if we end up one or two as w play 15-18 and hten it's a draw. This is a game for us as we are number or two. No important on the result for league table. But a very wise man said to be I've never seen anything good from losing, so we will do everything we can to try and win.
We mainly start with 13-14 players that have shared most of playing time. For ones who haven't played a lot it's useful to get 90 minutes as if we do have injury problems then it gives them a chance to be ready to come in.
Slot on back in Holland
Yes, of course. I'm happy in England and happy at Liverpool with team and trainign ground and everything that comes with that but I had a great time in Holland football wise and definitely in private life. Always nice to be back.
The Eind of the first stage
A very slightly wet and windy and cold welcome from Holland.
Here in the press room at the Philips Stadion we are ready to talk with Cody Gakpo and Arne Slot ahead of Liverpool's final Champions League opening stage game against PSV Eindhoven.
Slot is kind of a big deal in the Netherlands of late. They talk of him in glowing terms for his work at Feyenoord and, of course, this season with the Reds.
Good evening
Hello, good evening and welcome to our LFC liveblog for tonight's press conference in Eindhoven.
Arne Slot will be speaking alongside a first team player in what is always a bumper press conference for European games.
Ian Doyle is in the Netherlands for the ECHO and he'll be bringing you live updates, analysis and colour from tonight's presser, so stand by for updates.
