Slav: ” This is an unbelievably great challenge for me “

Slaven Bilic has called Sam Byram and Jmes Collins into the squad for today’s match declaring: “It is brilliant to have both of them back in contention.”

And in his appraisal of the 90 minutes ahead he added: “I was asked in the pre-match press conference if this is the toughest time I have had as a manager.

He told the official website: ” Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather be up there with Chelsea but I was thinking yesterday by myself that this is, including the new situation, this is an unbelievably great challenge for me personally.

“I feel so strong and I want that challenge. I want to try and solve this puzzle now. It’s not enjoyable of course but when you have such a big challenge in front of you, it motivates you even more and it gets the best out of you and that’s how I feel now.

Once again I was asked about the possibility of new signings coming into the squad. Some managers are saying this January transfer window should not be there. That it is useless – in one sense they are right and I think that way as well.

But the season is so long that you need the chance to sign some players because some get injured and it is tough.

It is totally different than the one in the summer when you start from zero. You have three months to prepare and then you have pre-season and everything.

Clubs are also more willing to sell players during that time. They have no time to replace them now so it is a tough one.

But it’s not different from last year or the one the other clubs are also having when you read their situations regarding the transfer window.”