Champions League: Liverpool suffer first-leg defeat at PSG

Reds' 2-0 loss is their third defeat in a row in all competitions as Isak returns but Salah is an unused substitute David Coverdale reviews Liverpool's 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Wednesday's UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg. Liverpool require another Anfield rescue act to progress in the UEFA Champions League after they lost the first leg of their quarter-final with holders Paris Saint-Germain. Goals in either half from Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia consigned the Premier League champions to their third consecutive defeat in all competitions. And the Reds will now need one of their special European nights at home on Tuesday if they are to reach the semi-finals and keep alive their hopes of silverware this season. “They had enough chances to score more, so I think it’s very good for us that we are still in the tie,” Liverpool head coach Arne Slot told TNT Sports. “We can now bring them to Anfield and we all know how much of a difference Anfield can make.” After watching his side fail to register a shot on target for the first time in a Champions League match since November 2020, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk added: “Hopefully we can be much better at Anfield. “We have to be absolutely spot on with everything we do – and hopefully our fans can play a big part.” Salah an unused substitute, but Isak returns Following the 4-0 loss at Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals, Slot made two changes to his team on Wednesday night, with Jeremie Frimpong and Alexis Mac Allister replacing Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah, who missed a penalty at the Etihad Stadium. It was the first time Salah – who has confirmed he is leaving the club at the end of the season - had not started a Champions League game since he was left out of Liverpool’s squad for the visit to Internazionale Milano in December. Explaining his decision before the match, Slot said: “It’s always difficult to leave players out that work very hard and deserve to start. Mo is definitely one of them. “When you add to that how much he has done for the club, how influential he has been, that makes it difficult. “But there are not many times this season that I have been able to make choices like that. We have players on the bench now that can affect the game.” While Salah did not come off the bench, Alexander Isak was brought on with 12 minutes to go for his first Liverpool appearance since he fractured his left leg at Tottenham Hotspur in December. Slot's tactical tweak In a bid to nullify the attacking threat of PSG, who knocked Liverpool out of Europe last season, Slot also deployed a back five. It was the first time Liverpool have used such a formation since they won at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League in December 2017. However, their new-look defence was breached at the Parc des Princes after just 11 minutes. Collecting the ball on the left-hand side of the box, Doue turned and then saw his shot take a deflection off the outstretched boot of Ryan Gravenberch to loop over the head of Giorgi Mamardashvili.The Georgian goalkeeper – playing in the continued absence of the injured Alisson Becker – responded with two big saves later in the first half to deny compatriot Kvaratskhelia and Doue. But Liverpool offered little attacking threat of their own, failing to record a single shot in the first half of a match for the first time since they played Real Madrid in April 2021. Their number of successful passes – 82 – was also their fewest in a Premier League or Champions League first half since December 2007. The visitors went 2-0 down in the 65th minute when Joao Neves threaded the ball through to Kvaratskhelia, who beat Gravenberch and then rounded Mamardashvili to score.Things almost got worse for Liverpool when referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez pointed to the spot after Ibrahima Konate slid in on Warren Zaire-Emery, but the penalty decision was overturned after VAR intervened. Ousmane Dembele also hit a post late on as Liverpool were fortunate not to concede a third. Race for the top five heating up This latest defeat means it is the first time the Reds have lost four consecutive away matches since April 2012. But Liverpool will at least be back at Anfield on Saturday for their Premier League match against Fulham. Slot’s side currently sit fifth in the table, a position which would see them return to the Champions League next season, with the Premier League set to gain an extra place in UEFA’s top competition. Going into The Run In, the Reds are just one point ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea, and only three clear of seventh-placed Brentford. Everton are also only three points behind Liverpool and the Merseyside rivals meet in a potentially pivotal contest at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Matchweek 33.