Liverpool have been pulled from pillar to put up on Wednesday night however inexplicably got here out on prime in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain.
The primary leg of their final 16 battle might hardly have been extra one-sided, with PSG dominating the competition all through in opposition to their surprisingly torpid guests. Liverpool could not deal with the velocity and depth of their hosts, counting on fortune fairly than ability.
However woman luck was shining on Arne Slot and his gamers as they snatched victory on the demise within the face of unrelenting strain, Harvey Elliott rising from the bench to supply the Reds a vital benefit forward of subsequent Tuesday’s second leg.
They’ve positioned one foot firmly within the quarter-finals however an analogous show at Anfield might yield a much less rosy end result. The tie continues to be removed from gained and Liverpool should make important enhancements in the event that they’re to guide their berth within the final eight.
Listed here are three alterations the Reds should make for the return leg.
Luis Enrique had made his ambitions clear previous to Wednesday’s encounter: “Liverpool can create hazard with out the ball. Perhaps they do not want the ball as a lot as us. We’ll attempt to impose our sport by retaining possession.”
The Spaniard was proper. PSG completed up with 70% possession on Wednesday night, rapidly shifting from lento to allegro when the chance introduced itself. Enrique had hailed Liverpool’s “three fighter jets in assault” earlier than kick-off nevertheless it was his ahead triumvirate that precipitated carnage, with the French aspect’s midfield and defence ordered to serve them as a lot as attainable.
Liverpool’s incapacity to keep up possession was a big challenge in Paris. They discovered themselves taking a extra direct method in an try and bypass PSG’s excessive press, however as an alternative swiftly gifted the ball again to their grateful hosts. That should change at Anfield.
One would count on Liverpool to naturally earn extra of the territory within the second leg in entrance of the house crowd, however with a one-goal benefit they’ll afford to be extra measured in possession, taking the sting out of proceedings in heated moments.
Liverpool should handle the ball higher in the event that they’re to keep away from a second-leg comeback, with their technicians throughout the pitch needing to step as much as the plate.
Slot’s substitutions made a sizeable impression within the French capital. In fact, Elliott will steal the headlines as he produced the decisive strike with one among simply three touches, however Liverpool’s different mid-game entrants made an impression.
Wataru Endo got here into the equation with simply over ten minutes remaining, producing a typical Wataru Endo efficiency as he fought tirelessly to guard his defence. However the prior arrival of Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones had already helped Liverpool restrict the PSG onslaught.
Jones arrived rather than Luis Diaz and rapidly supplied Andy Robertson some much-needed defensive assist up in opposition to the interchanging Ousmane Dembele, Need Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The midfielder helped regular the circulate down Liverpool’s left-hand aspect.
Not solely did Nunez present the help for Elliott’s last-gasp effort, he supplied Liverpool a prepared runner in behind PSG’s excessive line. He solely loved 12 touches however unnerved Marquinhos and Willian Pacho together with his direct method, providing them a more durable journey than up in opposition to the uncharacteristically wasteful Diogo Jota.
Whereas Liverpool are hoping to get pleasure from larger possession at Anfield, Jones and Nunez might nonetheless show good introductions – notably the previous given PSG’s immense counter-attacking menace.
European nights at Anfield have written many a legend throughout Liverpool’s trophy-laden historical past in continental competitions, with the Reds needing to lean on that lore in opposition to PSG. The primary leg was the time to endure, the second is the time to shine.
A raucous Anfield crowd will greet Liverpool subsequent Tuesday and the Premier League leaders should harness the facility of their twelfth man.
Within the face of adversity, the Reds retreated into their shell in opposition to PSG, failing to match the depth of their hosts. They fell right into a low defensive block, struggling to implement their urgent sport bar an encouraging spell within the opening ten minutes.
Liverpool should quicken the tempo subsequent week when not on the ball, feeding off the thrill of the house assist. They have to drive PSG into errors excessive up the pitch, chase unfastened balls and keep away from merely sitting again and watching the gorgeous patterns in entrance of them. If not, they could possibly be in hassle.
