Liverpool will look to pull off a miracle when they host PSG in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday evening.
The Reds trail 2-0 following the first leg in Paris, and this game is their last chance to keep their silverware hopes alive this season. Manager Arne Slot is under immense pressure after a disappointing season that has also seen them slump to fifth in the Premier League table.
Liverpool predicted lineup vs PSG
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike.
Slot made the surprise decision to field a back three in the first leg last week, but is unlikely to do so again, given the outcome, not to mention Liverpool’s need for goals at Anfield.
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Liverpool team news vs PSG
Alisson remains the major absentee for Liverpool, out until the start of May. Giorgi Mamardashvili will continue in his place, but he has looked unconvincing at times when called upon this season.
Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are both out for the season, while we’re highly unlikely to see Wataru Endo or Stefan Bajcetic until the start of May at the very earliest.
Curtis Jones was withdrawn at half-time in the 2-0 win over Fulham, and Slot doesn’t expect him to be available for the visit of PSG.
“He felt a little bit in his groin. It wasn’t the moment – he felt it already for a few minutes,” said Slot.
“So, let’s hope for the best, but I would be surprised if, a player who comes off, that he’s available for Tuesday.”
Rio Ngumoha staked a claim for a starting place here with an exciting performance and a goal against Fulham, but Slot may choose to save the youngster as an impact sub in the second half.
- Read more: Liverpool vs Fulham stats and analysis: How Reds’ right side cracked Cottagers open at Anfield
Arne Slot hails ‘Salah-esque’ Ngumoha
Saturday’s win over Fulham felt like a breakthrough moment for Rio Ngumoha. Yes, it was a day where Mohamed Salah silenced some of his critics with a goal at Anfield, and it was a game any reasonable Liverpool fan should expect to win.
However, it was Ngumoha who stole the show. Just 17, the winger opened the scoring on 36 minutes with a strike right out of Salah’s playbook, cutting inside and curling the ball right into the far corner in perfect style — his second Premier League goal of the season.
Ngumoha was electric for his entire 69 minutes on the pitch, creating two chances and attempting two shots, while having 10 touches in the opposition box and posting 100% accuracy from both his crosses.
Whether he starts on Tuesday or is held back as an impact sub remains to be seen. However, Slot was given no choice but to sing the teenager’s praises — making the comparison himself between Ngumoha’s goal and Salah’s trademark move.
“Yeah, but not only the long future, also the near future,” Slot responded when asked if Ngumoha’s goal was a glimpse of his future quality.
The Dutchman continued: “I think I’ve said a few weeks, maybe months ago, one or two months ago, that his playing time would increase because he got stronger and stronger, showed more and more when he came in, but also in training sessions, that it wasn’t only a nice trick, but there was more and more end product to what he did. There was more and more power in what he did, which is needed if you play against the best defenders in the world. And I don’t think anyone is surprised that at this moment of time he scored his first goal [at Anfield].
“He has such a special quality which you don’t see a lot in football anymore: dominating the one-v-one situation. And that’s exactly what he did when he scored his goal, making the ball free by twisting and turning and then hitting it in like a Mo Salah finish, I would say.
“It’s something I’m not surprised to see because in training sessions during the last month, we saw more and more that he got more and more power to hit the ball as powerfully as he did today. And yeah, that’s why he has now three starts in the last seven or eight games, I think. I don’t know exactly, but Wolves and Tottenham and this one. Pleasing to see that he did what we know makes him special, that’s dominating one-on-one situations.”