Arsenal legend Paul Merson shares his scepticism about Liverpool winning the first leg of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain. The Reds will face PSG in the Champions League round of 16, with the first leg at Parc des Princes.
Liverpool qualified for the Champions League knockout stages directly after finishing the Champions League’s League Phase in the first position. Meanwhile, Les Parisiens finished the League Phase at 15th position after having a stumbling start to their current season campaign.
PSG beat Brest 10-0 on aggregate during the playoffs to secure their position in the knockout stages, eventually drawing Liverpool. The new format provided no respite despite Liverpool finishing at the top as they battle the most in-form European club.
In his column for Sky Sports, Merson provided his prediction for the upcoming clash and claimed that Liverpool could not afford to lose the away game against the Paris giant. He said:
“I don’t see Liverpool winning at Paris Saint-Germain – they have to come back with at least a draw. This is a game where either one of these two teams could finish the tie in 45 minutes if the other one has an off day. That’s why this is a good cup tie. Both sides can absolutely rip you apart. We saw that with PSG in the Man City game, with four goals in the second half, and we’ve seen Liverpool destroy teams. I don’t think there’ll be a lot in this.”
The former Arsenal player further explained why he thinks PSG are a formidable opponent for any team now. Merson added:
“PSG are a team now. They haven’t got loads of superstars anymore. They’ve gone in a different direction and it’s worked. With all those players they used to have, they never looked like winning the Champions League. PSG can’t afford to lose the first leg because the second leg, with the atmosphere at Anfield, is a different game.”
After losing Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid, PSG made several recruitment to bolster every area of their team. The French club used the early season to gel their star players together and now are reaping the reward of their astute signings.
Meanwhile, their front trio, Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos, have enjoyed a fantastic goalscoring partnership. Nevertheless, if Liverpool plays the way they performed against Manchester City and Newcastle United, they could retrieve a positive result.
More Liverpool News:
- Van Dijk: No room for error as Liverpool brace for PSG clash
- Nunez: Hard work, missed chances and uncertain future at Liverpool
- Match Preview: Paris Saint-Germain vs Liverpool
The Reds restricted both Man City and the Magpies to limited chances by showcasing their flexibility in tactics. Liverpool fans are hoping that Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has the correct answer for the French club with players fulfilling their duties without any complacency.
