Q&ATransfers, defensive options, Newcastle and more: The best bits from Arne Slot's press conference

The Liverpool head coach spoke to reporters at the AXA Training Centre on the eve of his side's visit to St. James' Park in the Premier League.

Asked about the title race, finding solutions in defence, potential transfers in January and more, see what the Dutchman had to say below…

• Injury latest: Fitness updates on Alisson Becker and Federico Chiesa

On being considered 'favourites for the title'...

I've said many times already, we don't look at it at this moment like this. We know we have a difficult week coming up again. We thought [Real] Madrid and [Manchester] City were very difficult teams to face – which they actually were as well – I think it's even harder to go [for] an away game to Newcastle. We're not even halfway through the season yet but it's a good position to be in, that's definitely true.

On six of the next nine games being away from home, the quick turnaround and Liverpool being a target at the top...

Yeah, maybe the last thing makes it difficult. But I think if Liverpool is number one, two, three or four, it's always a very special game for the teams we face. It doesn't matter that much what the league table tells you. If Liverpool comes then their stadium is sold out and everybody wants to play us and wants to have the best game against us – like they have against Arsenal, Man City and all the others. So, the good thing for me is that it's not only us who played that many games. So for example, we face Everton [on Saturday], they've had a game during the week as well. Mostly we face teams that are rested for a week because we play [in the] Champions League and some others don't. But now many teams have many games because it's England and we play a lot of games in this period of time. I wasn't aware of the fact that six of the nine were away. But now you tell me, it makes it even more difficult but we're ready for it.

On the importance of having experienced players in the squad...

I think it is important but it's also the culture of this club that for us it's not that special a thing to be on top of the league or to be top in the Champions League – although that is special because it's never been before, normally you have a different group in the Champions League. But this club, this team, these players are used to the fact that they are top of the league or they are competing for every trophy. Then it helps that they have experienced this. And they also have experienced that they competed for a long time and then in the end they came too short, they couldn't manage to win it.

So, they also know that it's a long season and to win the league against the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and City – because I see those three as our main competitors at the moment – they all know that we have to be for nine, 10 months on top of their game because if you let down for a second, these clubs show up immediately. That is a combination of factors that they have the experience but they also see the quality of Chelsea, they've experienced the quality of Arsenal and also of City already. They know we have to stay on top of our game. And then now facing Newcastle, which is the team that has won at home from Chelsea, at home against Arsenal and had a draw against City, they don't need me to tell them how difficult the game of tomorrow will be.

On Cody Gakpo's goalscoring run...

Unfortunately, I've experienced already that he is able to score 20 goals in a season [from] when he played for PSV Eindhoven when I was at Feyenoord Rotterdam. He scored against us almost every time. He was able to score in that league and he's definitely able to score that many goals here as well, just like Lucho [Luis Diaz], just like Mo [Salah], just like Darwin [Nunez] or Diogo [Jota] – they are all capable of scoring that many goals.

Now, unfortunately for them, they have so many good players around them that they don't start every single game because that would help for them to get the numbers even higher. If I combine the numbers of Cody and Lucho, they are probably coming close to the numbers Mo has, so it's the position that has to bring the numbers and the same for the nine position, as well as for the right-winger positions. Cody is in a very good place at the moment and I think you will agree with me Lucho is as well.

On having the Premier League's best defensive record...

You tell me we've got the best defence because we've conceded less goals [than other teams], so that doesn't mean we only have the best defence, it means that we have 11 players that work really, really hard not to concede a goal. I agree with you that our last line has impressed this season – maybe the season before as well but this season a lot. Every time they have to defend they are there, as well as our goalkeeper. If in another line we would have had this amount of injuries, it would have worried me as well, especially because we've got nine games coming up in this month.

To go into the month with only five defenders is not ideal, but it's part of everyone's season and we played just as many games in October [and will] in January. Whenever you have got some injuries in a certain line, it is always a bit of a worry, but I trust the players we have now that they do everything they can to stay fit and we have to take smart decisions in this as well to keep them available for this month. If you face the likes of the clubs I just said, you cannot have a month where you don't get the results because they will be back.

On whether he will need to 'be creative' with defensive cover options due to injuries...

It depends always on the result if people judge it as smart. We have to be creative, maybe that's a better word to use, for the moment that we cannot use Trent [Alexander-Arnold]. So, last weekend against City, we didn't think it was smart to play Trent for 90 minutes after his injury. That's probably going to be the same tomorrow and on Saturday as well, so then we have to be creative – and for me Jarell [Quansah] playing over there is not so creative [because] he is able to play there. Maybe for whatever reason, if we need Jarell as a centre-back because if one of the centre-backs cannot continue the game, then we need to be even more creative. If it works out, you will probably call it smart and if it doesn't it's one of the stupidest things I've done until now!

On Joe Gomez's ability to come into the team and perform...

I think everybody sees his quality but for exactly the reason you just said, it shows how his mentality is and how impressed I am by his mentality. Because it's not always easy to come in during a game or to replace a player that did so well, and I think [Ibrahima] Konate did really well. And it's not for the first time he's experiencing this. Some players can do this for a season and then they are like, 'Now I want to play, I want to go somewhere.' And Joe is patient in a good way, he always makes sure he is ready whenever the club or his teammates need him, and that is special when it comes to his mentality because not many players can do this for so many years that he has done this.

But last season he played many, many, many games – I think you could call him a starter that season – and in some other seasons maybe he was more of the second choice in every other position in the last line. For him to keep doing this probably tells you a lot about his mentality but also what he does on a daily basis in training sessions and at home to stay as fit as he is, because he's incredibly fit and ready to perform. That is more special than people think it is, that's definitely true.

On whether any discussions have been had about adding to the squad in January...

We are having discussions every day, no matter if there is a window coming up or not. We always talk about the team, which players we like, which players are maybe not in the best place – fortunately we talk more about the ones that do well because almost all of them do really well. And yeah, it is a bit of a worry that three defenders are out at the moment. But the good thing is if the window opens, the defenders are back. I've said many times in the beginning of the season, I'm so, so happy with the squad [we have], and that's not to say if there will be a chance in the market.

This club has always shown that they are going for it – that's also what we did with the goalkeeper, who is not even with us at the moment but we felt it was a chance for us to do it. That is [what] this club is known for and these people like Richard [Hughes] and Michael Edwards are known for. But we are mainly focused now on Newcastle and Everton and all these nine games that are coming up. But yeah, it's normal that we also have conversations about our squad and what can we expect, can something change, yes or no, which are the chances in the market.