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Liverpool: Mo Salah is in his worst goalscoring drought of his Premier League career but head coach Arne Slot is confident it is something he will overcome. The Egypt international has won the Golden Boot four times since arriving at Anfield in 2017, the latest in last season’s title-winning campaign but has gone nine league matches without finding the net. It’s his worst run in the English top flight but Slot said while the criticism was to be expected because of the 33-year-old’s high standards it was not a cause for a concern as it was a problem afflicting all his forwards.

“He set his own standards and those are so high and the moment he doesn’t score for a few games people are immediately surprised – that is the biggest compliment he can get,” said Slot. “With data you can use it to your advantage or disadvantage but not to use the FA Cup game – if we play a Premier League side - you could argue if that is fair.

“Three games ago he had an assist and a goal against a very good Premier League team in Brighton so that is the reality and then you can change data and say he did not score in nine Premier League games. We are used to Mo scoring a lot of goals and at this moment in time that is maybe the biggest difference in his performance and game time. But we also know this has happened before, I don’t know if it happened nine games in a row but I’ve had these questions earlier if he didn’t score for three or five but I know in the end he always starts scoring again. He is not our only attacker at this moment in time that doesn’t score as much as we are used to.” [Press Association]

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Football Association news: Kevin Thelwell has been appointed the FA’s Elite Coach Developer, tasked with supporting the progression of elite homegrown coaches.

The former Rangers and Everton sporting director’s strategic role at St George’s Park will span men’s and women’s football and he will report to Dan Ashworth, the chief football officer at the national football centre.

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Newcastle United: With the draw for the Round of 16 looming, Eddie Howe has been asked for his thoughts on Newcastle’s next opponents – Barcelona or Chelsea – and jokes with reporters that he’s just glad his side won’t have to play Manchester City in the next round. The Newcastle head coach’s record against Pep Guardiola (P22 W2 D2 L18) is pretty dismal, even if his side did beat them at St James’ Park in the Premier League earlier this season.

“Really special and really positive for us,” he says. “I think we are just grateful we can’t get Man City! We are looking forward to what the draw brings and we will look forward to that game when it comes around.” If Newcastle are paired with Chelsea, the sides will meet three times in a row across eight days – two legs of the Champions League tie either side of a Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge.

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Liverpool: The reigning champions had the highest wage bill – up £42m to £428m – in the Premier League when winning their 20th league title last season, the club’s latest set of accounts have revealed. Andy Hunter reports …

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Newcastle United: Eddie Howe’s side host Everton at St James’ Park tomorrow and ahead of the game, the Newcastle head coach has provided an injury update on Bruno Guimaraes. Like Arne Slot before him, he doesn’t seem sure when one of his team’s best midfielders will be available.

“I have had some good contact with Bruno,” he told reporters. “He seems very positive with his injury and how he feels. He has done a lot of work. He is being well looked after as well. We hope that he can come back and give us a push at the back end of the season. We have to treat his injury carefully.”

An ever-present when he is fit, the 28-year-old Brazilian has missed Bruno has missed Newcastle’s last four games with a hamstring injury and was ruled out for at least eight weeks just over a fortnight ago.

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Updated at 05.10 EST

Champions League Round of 16 draw

This will kick-off in an hour or so but here’s a quick run-down on what, for those of us still suffering night terrors from the World Cup draw, should be a comparatively straightforward affair.

The top 8 teams from the league phase (seeded) are paired against the eight winners of the play-offs and the bracket is split into four sections. Here are your permutations ...

Arsenal or Bayern Munich v Bayer Leverkusen or Atalanta

Liverpool or Tottenham v Atletico Madird or Galatasaray

Barcelona or Chelsea v Newcastle or Paris Saint-Germain

Sporting or Manchester City v Real Madrid or Bodø/Glimt

The first legs will be played on 10 and 11 March, the second legs will be played on 17 and 18 March, and the eight seeded teams will be at home for the second legs.

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Liverpool: We’ll kick off with some bad news for Liverpool fans, ahead of their side’s match against West Ham tomorrow. Arne Slot has opened his pre-match presser by telling reporters that Florian Wirtz will not be fit for the game and there’s no confirmed time frame on the German’s return. Wirtz missed Liverpool’s somewhat fortuitous win against Nottingham Forest last weekend after being forced to pull out during the warm-up.

“I don’t expect Florian to be available,” he says. “It’s a disappointment. Every time a player is not available is a disappointment, it’s something that I didn’t expect after last week. At this moment time, I don’t know [when he will return]. Usually when I say that, I do know and I don’t want to share. But this time, I honestly don’t know.

“It’s a big accomplishment for Wirtz to stay fit for such a long time because he had to make a step up from where he played to the Premier League and Liverpool. It tells a lot about his mentality and work rate that he has stayed fit for so long. It is a disappointment for him and for us, because he has played really, really well lately”

Slot also reveals that Jeremie Frimpong will be available for tomorrow’s match after being sidelined since the end of January.

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Updated at 04.46 EST

Europa League – VfB Stuttgart 0-1 Celtic (agg: 4-2): Celtic restored a modicum of pride following their first leg humbling, in what is likely to be Martin O’Neill’s final European match as a head coach. Ewan Murray reports from MHP Arena …

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Updated at 04.59 EST

Europa Conference League – Crystal Palace 2-0 Zrinjski Mostar (agg: 3-1): A Round of 16 tie against Larnaca or Mainz awaits Oliver Glasner’s side after they made short work of their visitors from Bosnia and Herzegovina in south London. Ed Aarons reports from Selbhurst Park …

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Updated at 04.59 EST

Europa League – Nottingham Forest 1-2 Fenerbahce (agg: 4-2): Nottingham Forest survived a second leg scare to advance to the Round of 16, where they will face Midtjylland or Real Betis, two teams they failed to beat in the league phase of the competition. Ben Fisher reports from the City Ground …

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Updated at 05.00 EST

Preamble

Rise and shine, football fans. Well, rise. It’s Friday and the weekend is almost upon us. After a night of continental drama that saw Celtic exit the Europa League, Nottingham Forest survive a scare against Fenerbahce and Crystal Palace cruise past Zrinjski Mostar, there’s the small matter of news of the draw for the Champions League Round of 16 to bring you from 11am (GMT).

Not content with all that European chit-chat, we’ll be pivoting back to the bread and butter of the Premier League and reporting from press rooms across the country, bringing you the latest team news from assorted top-flight managers.

And, of course, the Friday blog is your one-stop shop for the unexpected – whether it’s a late-breaking injury hammerblow or a shock managerial announcement. We’ll be bringing you every bit of the news that’s fit to print and a whole lot more that almost certainly isn’t.

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Updated at 04.32 EST

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