Are there any fresh injury concerns?
Like everybody, we've got a few injuries and a few players out, but we've also got some players coming back. Ryan Fredericks is doing better and so is Arthur [Masuaku]. So we have some good news from that side. We've got a concern about Tomas Soucek because of the stitches in his head, which is something we are concerned about but we're probably no different from any other club in the Premier League with some injuries.
If Michail Antonio plays tomorrow that will be three games in six days, are you comfortable he can cope with a schedule like that?
Mich himself has done an awful lot to get himself prepared better. Even though he is away with Jamaica I think he is in much better physical condition than before, I think he is looking after himself much better. And I think he is more than capable of playing the games and sometimes when you are pushed to do it you have to do it.
We need him. He's an important member of our squad and our team. We are mindful that we do try to give him some time off when we can, we did not play him in the earlier rounds of the cup at times so we've tried to prepare him the best we can and I have got to say he has had a great start to the season. He got a goal the other night and I hope he starts going on a really good goalscoring run now.
Andriy Yarmolenko was not involved on Wednesday, has he been training and will he be available tomorrow? Have you made that decision?
He has been training but he won't travel to Liverpool with us, he is not quite ready and we need to give him every opportunity we can for his family and for his country.
I think he feels just a little bit bogged down with the whole situation at this present time so he will not travel with us.
We cannot imagine how difficult a time it is for him, how hard is it for you to find ways to help him?
We can only give him our full support. We continually ask if there's anything we can do. It's a difficult situation. I spoke with him this morning for 20 minutes about it and tried to ask a few questions about what is going on.
It's really difficult because nobody's been in these circumstances before and I hope we are never in it again. Coming into training sometimes makes things feel a bit better for him, we try to give him a little bit of release from that. We want to do everything we possibly can for him and his family.
Have you ever felt as a manager this helpless?
I feel helpless in as much as we as a country, not just me as a manager, us as a country, and a population I think we all feel like we can't do enough. We are just hoping that our government and all the other governments do everything they possibly can to make this as difficult a situation [for Russia] as possible. We're all helpless really.
You said after the defeat to Southampton saying if the players don't improve they have nothing to play for. Is that a message you have given to the players?
No, that is the message from a disappointed and angry manager right after the game. One who is fed up his team did not get a result.
Is it good that a game comes so quickly after the FA Cup defeat?
Probably not because of the quickness. We are not pleased with the Premier League that we have had to play so many games. We have a game on Sunday, a cup game on Wednesday, and now again on Saturday, so three games in six days is not correct.
Two of those are away games with travel and you had a busy period in November and December. Is there anything you learn about your team?
The thing about our players is they've been really resilient, whenever they have had to play they have shown that, even in lockdown and the continued games and the periods when we were really busy.
Even last year, they backed it up and came good again, so I've a lot of confidence it will happen. With the fixtures we've got, it's made it a really difficult week for us.
How are your confidence levels going into this game after getting the better of Liverpool last time out?
Yes, we did. Let's always remember we have a really difficult task going to Anfield. I have found it really difficult throughout my career because Liverpool have had really really good teams, they tend to have managers, like they have at the moment, and because of that, it is always a hard game when you go to Anfield.
Liverpool are always a tough opponent, how much do you relish taking on the best as a manager and a group of players?
I think at the moment we have a Premier League full of the top teams in Europe and the Wolrd, Chelsea are World Champions and Champions League winners. We've got Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City who are arguably the best team in Europe.
The Premier League's so difficult, but also so good that we've got that level of games. We have great atmospheres and stadiums, so there is so much in the Premier League.
Going to Anfield is very difficult and has been for me over the years, but hopefully it gets better for me this time.
Liverpool played midweek as well and they had a game last weekend as well so there is not necessarily an advantage for either side although it is a very busy schedule for you. Does that make it slightly fairer?
If you give me half of their squad it would be fairer! Other than that you are right is is very fair.
What is it that makes a good leader when you are looking at selecting someone to have the armband or to be a leader at the training ground?
I look at some exceptional leaders at England, Jordan Henderson, Harry Maguire, Harry Kane, I look around and see so many excellent leaders and the good thing for Declan Rice is to see how they operate, how they work and he has also had a brilliant loyal captain, who has for many years carried this dressing room at West Ham in Mark Noble.
So you hope that if Declan has got a bit of sense he is looking at them and how is the best way to operate here. Because leadership does not always have to be in one way it can come in different ways. Some people though talking and communicating, others through actions. So there are many many different ways.
On the field the biggest thing is taking responsibility and wanting the ball, you have to take sole responsibility fopr the team no matter how it goes, And Mark Noble over the years has done that for West Ham and Declan is doing a really good job of following him at the moment.
Jurgen Klopp said Jarrod Bowen is an 'unbelievable' player, how would you describe him?
I see Jarrod Bowen as a player who has made unbelievable progress as a player and is continuing to make progress and I think for me always you want to see how players make progress and Jarrod has stepped up. And I don't mean just from Hull City to West Ham.
Quite often the ones who really make a real success of it are the ones who don't do it immediately it takes them a little bit of time.
But if we are using the word unbelievable for Jarrod Bowen then I am struggling for words for the Liverpool players. but I have to say that Jarrod has done well but we have huge admiration for the players at Liverpool football club.
When West Ham lose matches there are always questions about lack of squad depth and lack of signings. What do you make of that?
Yes, quite rightly so. We could do with a stronger squad, we would have liked to have made more signings but every time we get asked those questions I feel like saying 'Do you think we did not try? Do you think that we did not make offers? Do you think we do not know we need a bigger squad?'
But I keep saying Rome wasn't built in a day. I want to continue building West Ham. The room West Ham has for future development and the potential to get better and those things you just mentioned are two of them. We are aware of that and I think it is a good sign we are still doing okay and people are mentioning our squad depth and the players we have got.
Do you think a significant number of signings will need to be made this summer so you can compete at the same level as you are next season?
I think yes. But you have to remember that not all signings work and you can think of lots of clubs who have spent lots of money and it hasn't worked.
Quite often it is an easy thing to be a journalist and just say 'you need more signings.'
It takes quite a lot of thought in trying to get the right player with the right character who fits what you want to do, and trying to spend the money the West Ham supporters have put into the club as wisely as I possibly can.
