The best bits from Arne Slot’s press conference ahead of Liverpool’s fourth-round FA Cup clash with Brighton at Anfield…

• ‘Substantial’ Wataru Endo blow: “We still need to do some assessment but it’s clear and obvious he will be out quite a long time. Don’t forget he is a good centre-back and midfielder too… we’re quite vulnerable there as well.”

• Injury troubles affecting Slot’s sleep: “It took me a long time before I could fall asleep because I was constantly thinking of the same options. Which players [to pick], which other players, which positions, so I need another 24 hours.”

• The risk of further injuries: “The last thing we need is another injury, so that is always the tough thing for a manager… the most important thing is that we train today, we listen to the players, see how they feel.”

• The “vital” Virgil van Dijk: “It’s not a coincidence [he stays fit] because if I look at how much work he puts in on a daily basis to recover… it tells you a lot about his mental strength that he’s able to lead the team by example.”

• Dominik Szoboszlai’s ‘ridiculous’ work rate: “I cannot stop talking about his qualities. He is close to ridiculous, on and off the ball, his work rate is another level, the intensity he presses with is unbelievable.”

• The threat of Brighton: “They don’t deserve the position they are in; they play so much better than the table shows and they deserve more than they get, so it is another challenge.”

• On trusting young players: “A few of them come closer and closer to first-team football, like Rio [Ngumoha] and Trey [Nyoni]… but it is about finding the right balance [vs Brighton]. If we had a different opponent, then I maybe make other choices [to play more youngsters].”

• The “small margins” of defending leads: “Every single time a team has a sniff, they score. We put so much effort in before we are able to score… the margins are not happening [for the opponent] if Ibou [Konate] defends it perfectly.”