Tonight, the Champions League spotlight falls on the Parc des Princes as Liverpool travel to face Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint Germain in the first leg of a mouth-watering quarter-final.
The big news from Paris is that Mohamed Salah has been dropped to the bench, with Slot making two key changes to the side that struggled at the Etihad.
Slot and Co. head into this tie at the Parc Des Princes extremely low on confidence, having lost 4-0 at Manchester City, but they did win by the same scoreline against Galatasaray the last time they featured in Europe’s elite competition, so hopefully they can get back to winning ways in the French capital, despite PSG being resounding favourites.
If the Reds overcome the Parisian giants, a gargantuan semi-final clash against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich awaits. Navigating that final hurdle would put Arne Slot’s men just one step away from the showpiece event at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest this May.
Liverpool will also be desperate to get the better of their Parisian foes, as they were the side last season who knocked them out of the Champions League on penalties, before going on to be crowned champions.
Confirmed Liverpool XI vs PSG
Despite the sobering nature of the 4-0 defeat at the Etihad, Slot hasn’t made wholesale changes for this first-leg showdown.
In defence, Giorgi Mamardashvili remains in goal, owing to Alisson’s untimely injury issues, with Slot also sticking by Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil Van Dijk and Milos Kerkez at the back.
But, there could be a reshuffle to a back three, as Jeremie Frimpong comes into the side this evening.
Amazingly, this would be the first time Liverpool has started with a back three formation in a Champions League or Premier League encounter since December 2017, when they faced Brighton and Hove Albion.
Alongside Frimpong coming into the starting XI to add more width and steel, Alexis Mac Allister also returns in the centre of the park, to replace Curtis Jones.
Ryan Gravenberch is his trusty centre midfield partner, while Dominik Szoboszlai, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike make up the other attacking aspects of the Dutchman’s line-up.
Ekitike will be desperate to get on the scoresheet against his former employers, as his antics on the substitutes bench against City became headline talk.
Slot has opted to only have Mohamed Salah on the bench tonight, with his options – away from the main starting XI – looking stacked, as he could call upon Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa, Rio Nguhoma, and the returning Alexander Isak if needed.
Confirmed Liverpool lineup vs PSG: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Ekitike, Frimpong, Gravenberch
Subs: Woodman, Misciur, Isak, Salah, Chiesa, Jones, Gakpo, Robertson, Nyoni, Ngumoha
PSG vs Liverpool Prediction
Ultimately, the wider footballing world will be expecting PSG to comfortably overcome the test of the Reds tonight.
After all, they’re fresh off an 8-2 aggregate win over Chelsea in the last round of the Champions League, So, they will be hunting for another high-scoring victory as they look to exploit yet another fragile Premier League defence.
Still, if Liverpool can keep the match a lot tighter than the whitewash they experienced at the Etihad, they could potentially spring a shock result.
This does feel unlikely, though, as Liverpool might have to rely on some second-leg magic at Anfield to get over the line.
Prediction: PSG 3-1 Liverpool
