The speculation and pressure on Arne Slot's job just hasn't gone away virtually all season, and being outclassed by PSG one year on from winning at the Parc des Princes and spending nearly half a billion later won't help.
Liverpool knew they would be up against it and the feeling very much before kick-off was to keep the score down against the European champions and keep the tie alive going to Anfield. The 2-0 defeat just about does that but another toothless display and being saved by wasteful finishing from PSG means it was more luck than design - and with plenty of help from VAR.
Fresh off a 4-0 battering against Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-final at the weekend, Arne Slot made two changes, dropping Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones for Jeremie Frimpong and Alexis Mac Allister, and a complete change of shape.
Desire Doue
Liverpool were outclassed by PSG's frontline (Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
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With the sound of City celebrations and PSG’s dominance in the Champions League first leg last year still in the Dutchman’s mind, where Harvey Elliott struck the only goal of the game with the Reds’ only shot despite the Parisians getting 29 shots off, Slot wasn’t prepared to risk his side being blown out of the water in the first leg.
However, the back five and putting 11 players behind the ball kept PSG out for just 10 minutes. Unlike last year, the hosts had that huge stroke of luck to find the back of the net when Desire Doue’s shot took a major deflection off Ryan Gravenberch, looping the ball over the helpless Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Liverpool responded well to the early blow and stepped up the pitch to put the backline and midfield under pressure in possession. But the only real opportunities came the way of set-piece deliveries from Dominik Szoboszlai.
Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai
Liverpool's midfield were often chasing shadows (Image: PA)
The Reds were without the injured Alisson again, who produced heroics at the Parc des Princes last year, but Mamardashvili made a good attempt at replicating the Brazilian as he made two brilliant stops to deny Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Doue from doubling the lead in the first half.
In both moves for the opening goal and Mamardashvili’s save to deny Doue, both came from Ibrahima Konate stepping too high and being caught out wanting to be too aggressive in the right centre-back role. A position he appeared completely naïve in against the pace and fluidity of the PSG frontline.
The one-way traffic continued in the second half as PSG knew they would have to make their dominance count and give themselves more than a slender lead to take to Anfield.
But the host’s wastefulness in front of goal also rumbled on when Ousmane Dembele sliced a left-footed strike over the bar from 12 yards out unopposed. For all their good play until entering the box, PSG looked there for the taking defensively with Matvei Safonov in the PSG goal crashing off his line at every opportunity, and often making a mess of it.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia showed why he is a generational talent (Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
The Russians’ hot-blooded goalkeeping did give the visitors confidence as Liverpool pushed more players forward sensing a chance would soon fall their way.
However, PSG’s brilliance eventually told when Nuno Mendes fizzed the ball through a gap between Konate and Ryan Gravenberch to feed Kvaratskhelia in on goal. The Georgian magician rolled off the shoulder of Gravenberch before leaving the Dutchman on the deck as he rounded Mamardashvili to tap into an empty net.
The difference in class between the two sides was perfectly summed up in that one slick move. Liverpool were a step behind and in a permanent battle to keep their concentration against the slick Paris forwards. Something that even the best teams throughout history would struggle to contain.
Liverpool were then saved from potentially going 3-0 down and out of the tie by VAR after Ibrahima Konate felled Warren Zaire-Emery in the box. Despite contact on the France midfielder’s leg before Konate won the ball, VAR advised Jose Maria Sanchez to overrule his original decision.
Dembele also missed a chance to add a third for the hosts before Mendes made a mess of a one-on-one from six yards out. It looked at times like PSG were almost trying not to kill the game off with their finishing.
On a night of little to be happy about from a Liverpool perspective, the return of Alexander Isak off the bench after four months out with a broken leg is something that can inspire the team on through the crucial final two months of the campaign.
The Reds host PSG at Anfield next Tuesday after welcoming Fulham to Merseyside in the Premier League.