The Liverpool gamble that backfired against PSG – but might have kept their Champions League chances alive | OneFootball

The good news for Liverpool is that they do not require their greatest Anfield comeback in Europe. But if that tag will forever be reserved for Barcelona in 2019, it may need their second best to eliminate Paris Saint-Germain.

A night when Arne Slot abandoned the basis of his system – and, some would say, his principles – in favour of pragmatism brought a damage-limitation exercise that might be bracketed as a qualified success. Because Liverpool, walloped 4-0 at Manchester City on Saturday, only lost 2-0 to the European champions. It might have been worse, whether with a repeat of their failings at the Etihad Stadium, or without the excellence of Giorgi Mamardashvili.

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PSG will take a 2-0 lead to Anfield next week (Getty Images)

When they were a goal down after 11 minutes, with a different shape and precious little possession, it threatened to be another rout. Instead, there was an exercise in concentration and improvised organisation. There was no capitulation, no collapse. But amid the evidence Liverpool are not giving up, there was little to suggest they can beat PSG by at least two goals, and three to avoid a penalty shootout.

Especially not if they encounter Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in this vein of form. Liverpool spent £300m on attacking talent last summer but, as Alexander Isak made his first appearance of 2026 – in an anonymous cameo – the Georgian staked his claim to be the Champions League’s most compelling attacker.

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(Getty Images)

His goal was superb. Kvaratskhelia ran on to Joao Neves’ perceptive pass, skipped away from a sliding Ryan Gravenberch and his international teammate Mamardashvili and slotted the ball into the net. He first tormented Liverpool with Napoli in 2022. They may have had the Georgian on their mind again but stopping Kvaratskhelia is altogether harder. This was his eighth Champions League goal of a productive season. He will not succeed Ousmane Dembele as the Ballon d’Or winner, if only because he will not be at the World Cup, but he might otherwise be a contender.

Otherwise, however, Liverpool could note they only conceded to a sizeable deflection, bringing Desire Doue the early opener. There might have been more goals. Liverpool were caught on the counter-attack too often. Mamardashvili, seeking to emulate Alisson’s heroics at the Parc des Princes last season, saved well from Kvaratskhelia and Doue, from Dembele and Achraf Hakimi.

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Giorgi Mamardashvili was forced into several fine saves (AP)

Dembele delivered everything but the goal. He blazed one chance over. He rattled the post with a late drive. Rewind seven years and he missed the opportunity to put Barcelona 4-0 up at the Nou Camp against Liverpool, which eventually cost them, amid Divock Origi’s improbable brilliance.

Liverpool had a different sort of let-off when referee Jose Maria Sanchez initially gave a penalty for Ibrahima Konate’s challenge on Warren Zaire-Emery. A review later, he reversed his decision. Konate escaped what might have been more plausible penalty for a nudge on Nuno Mendes. One way or another, PSG are entitled to feel their dominance ought to have brought a third goal.

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A penalty decision against Ibrahima Konate was overturned (Action Images via Reuters)

Had they got it, the verdict on Slot’s change of formation may have more damning. Perhaps it was an admission nothing else had worked. Whether a product of inspiration or desperation, for the first time in his reign, he started with three centre-backs, with Joe Gomez the left of the trio. Yet PSG stretched the game to mean their visitors had a back five. If Liverpool intended to play 3-4-1-2, they often ended up with 5-4-1 and sometimes with a 5-5-0 system in the first half.

As Slot’s side ended up camped near their goal, the concentration of players may have cost them the opener. Doue’s effort looped up off Gravenberch and over the goalkeeper.

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Desire Doue opened the scoring (REUTERS)

Slot had said Liverpool would go toe to toe with PSG. They began with no attempt to; their first-half xG was 0.00, their shot count zero. A manager who has been annoyed by other teams’ defensiveness in the Premier League went on the defensive. But if it showed an inferiority complex, Liverpool grew in confidence and ambition. Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike grew in prominence after the break.

There was a notable absentee from the attack. Mohamed Salah was dropped, his farewell tour bringing only a seat on the bench in Paris. But Salah’s deficiencies off the ball were a reason Slot initially omitted him in November and this was a game where Liverpool had very little of the ball. Eventually, Isak came on ahead of him. He touched the ball three times in Liverpool’s third consecutive defeat.

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Arne Slot's tactical gamble brought mixed results (Getty Images)

It was their 16th loss of the season and arguably it was one of their more respectable reverses. But Liverpool are nevertheless on course to exit the competition. Unless, that is, they can render Tuesday Slot’s greatest European night at Anfield and one of their finest. It isn’t over yet, but Liverpool’s chances feel slim.