Football news and talking points:
Steve Bould in for Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, Adam Lallana's England hopes and Niall Quinn on Sunderland
(March 29 2018)
Steve Bould in for Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, Adam Lallana's England hopes and Niall Quinn on Sunderland - all in a round-up of Thursday's headlines...
Bould stands in for Wenger
Arsene Wenger was absent from his usual pre-match press conference on Thursday due to illness.
The Arsenal manager was replaced by assistant Steve Bould, who took questions from the media ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash with Stoke.
Wenger was unable to fulfil his commitments due to losing his voice but is expected to be in place for the game.
Bould said Jack Wilshere could face Stoke despite the midfielder missing England's friendlies against Holland and Italy because of injury.
"Jack had a bit of a knee problem, he has come back and is fine," Bould said.
Arsenal sit sixth in the Premier League, 13 points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with eight games remaining.
It means a top-four finish is almost certainly beyond them, but Bould said it is important Arsenal build momentum before the season ends, given it could help their push for Europa League silverware.
The Gunners have a Europa League quarter-final against CSKA Moscow coming up next month, and that competition offers a route into the Champions League.
Bould - 40/1 to be Arsenal's next manager - said: "Of course it is tough (to reach the top four), we are not stupid. But if we are to win the Europa League winning games now is important to us."
Lallana eyes World Cup with injuries behind him
Adam Lallana is confident his fitness problems will not cost him a place in England's World Cup plans after returning for "the business end" of the season.
The Liverpool midfielder suffered a serious thigh injury last summer, reducing him to a bit-part role and just one start apiece in the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
He has also found himself on the outside looking in during England's road to Russia, ending a nine-month absence from national duty with a second-half appearance in Tuesday's 1-1 draw against Italy.
For a player who won England's player of the year award for 2016 and was arguably the key performer in the early days of Gareth Southgate's tenure, the landscape has changed considerably.
The 29-year-old, is bullish about his prospects of making the 23-man squad, insisting he has sufficient credit in the bank.
Asked if he was worried his lack of game time might prove costly, Lallana said: "Not really, I'm confident enough in my own ability and what I bring to the squad.
"Me and the boss have a great relationship and have been speaking frequently this season. He's been interested to know where I was on rehab and I've been down to St George's Park a couple of times.
"He recognises what I bring to the team, my team-mates recognise that and I recognise it also.
"But I'm smart enough not to be complacent and to know there's plenty of talented players that want to make the squad. I'm not built with complacency, you can see that in the way I play."
Solanke philosophical over lack of Liverpool chances: ‘There are crazy players in my position'
Liverpool forward Dominic Solanke insists his Anfield frustration cannot compare to his time at Chelsea.
The 20-year-old scored a late winner in England Under-21s' 2-1 Euro 2019 qualifying victory over Ukraine on Tuesday.
Dominic Solanke could make his England debut
All of Solanke's three goals this season have come for the Young Lions as he is kept on the bench at Anfield by 36-goal Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino.
He has made just three Premier League starts since joining from Chelsea last summer in search of more game time but it is an improvement on the 17 minutes he managed for the Blues.
"It's always frustrating when not playing but I'm enjoying it at Liverpool. You can say it's different (to Chelsea)," said Solanke, who has made 21 appearances in total for Liverpool.
"Being at Liverpool there's a lot of competition and there are going to be tough times but coming to England is always another time to express yourself.
"There are crazy players at Liverpool, especially in my position, and I've definitely learned a lot.
"You always have to take the positives and we are doing so well at the moment. The front players have been phenomenal, its a good lesson.
"Mo is on fire, I'm so happy for him, and he is unstoppable and it's helping us a lot."
Quinn denies Sunderland takeover talk
Former Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has dismissed reports he is part of a consortium considering a takeover of the struggling Sky Bet Championship club.
The 51-year-old, who also spent six years on Wearside as a player, was rumoured to be fronting a group which was in talks with Black Cats owner Ellis Short.
However, the former Republic of Ireland striker has said the speculation is not accurate.
"Not true. Sadly someone jumped the gun there a little bit and probably felt I was doing more," he said, according to Irish broadcaster RTE.
"I was actually in Sunderland a couple of times but it was nothing to do with football and maybe that's where it came from."
Sunderland, relegated from the Premier League last season, are rock bottom of the Championship and in severe danger of going down again.
Chris Coleman's side have won just one of their last 13 league fixtures.
"I, like everybody else, hopes the situation gets better there very quickly," added Quinn, who was club chairman between 2006 and 2011.
"There are one or two people who are meant to be interested in buying the club, I hear all that. I'm the same as the fans but we'll just see how it plays.
"I've nothing special to tell you there, I just hope they get out of it.
"I'm gone six years now so I haven't left anything behind me in terms of my support for the club. I'd like to see it turned around, I just don't think it's going to be me."