Nunez and Elliott 'need to be ready and not disruptive'

We are yet to see where Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott fit into this Arne Slot team.

From their perspective, it is hard to start the season on the bench. But a lot can change in a season and it might finish differently to how it started.

It is difficult to tell where a player stands until someone is injured or suspended and the person you would expect to come in to replace them doesn’t. That is when you know whether you are surplus to requirements.

They might not be Slot's first options, but while they are there it is fair to presume that the same team will not play week in, week out because you do rotate. They are in the Champions League so automatically that adds more fixtures to your schedule and Slot will have to balance his squad.

It is rare that people on the bench are there because they have been the worst in training. It is usually because the manager already knows his starting XI.

But you have to keep pushing and this is when the mentality of a professional matters. You cannot really do anything to influence the manager but you have to make the choice to push on and make sure that you are ready for when you are called upon.

It is like how some people decide to down tools before leaving in the next transfer window, while some work harder in readiness for that move.

Every player is better when they are having a run of games but not everyone is afforded that opportunity. You just have to hope that when that opportunity comes you do something to make the manager see you in a different way.

Nunez and Elliott just need to be ready and not be disruptive.

It is OK to feel sadness but if you are disruptive, you will get even further from the team.

In a month's time it might be completely different for them.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford