Arne Slot set Liverpool up with two advanced wing-backs in the hope of nullifying Paris Saint-Germain’s wide men, but the idea failed and left the Reds exposed.
With two defeats in their last two games, both away from home, Liverpool travelled to the Parc des Princes with an almighty task of restricting the reigning European champions.
Having lost 4-0 at Man City at the weekend, with just two days of preparation, Slot elected to play a defensive three flanked by wing-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.
The plan didn’t work, though, and PSG won 2-0, managing 18 shots, six of which were on target, and creating four big chances.
PARIS, FRANCE - Wednesday, April 8, 2026: Liverpool's Ibrahima Konaté (R) challenges Paris Saint-Germain's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 1st Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain FC and Liverpool FC at the Parc des Princes. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Frimpong and Kerkez set out to press high against PSG’s full-backs, Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, while Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai attempted to put the hosts’ in-possession back three under pressure.
However, in contrast to Liverpool, PSG were unafraid and their wide men pushed Liverpool’s wing-backs into their own half, taking up advanced positions of their own.
This rendered Kerkez and Frimpong ineffective for much of the match, with FotMob‘s stats demonstrating how they failed make an impact.
Frimpong (19) and Kerkez (25) had the fewest touches of any Liverpool starters and neither completed a ‘successful dribble’.
Furthermore, Frimpong produced just two accurate crosses while Kerkez managed none. The Hungarian did, though, create one chance, something the Dutchman couldn’t do.
When the pair did gain territory and push into the opposition half, it left space behind for PSG’s exquisite attackers to exploit.
Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate were tasked with man-marking jobs on Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The home team’s trickery and pace were too much for Liverpool’s defence, though, with Konate and Van Dijk being dragged way out of position as they followed their men, leaving more space behind that Ryan Gravenberch desperately had to try and cover.
Such was the pliability of Liverpool’s defence, Konate at one point found himself leading the Liverpool press as the furthest man forward!
All the while, Slot’s plan to keep full-backs Hakimi and Mendes quiet was failing.
Only Dembele (5) created more chances than Mendes (3) on the night, and just Vitinha had more touches than the pair, with Hakimi and Mendes touching the ball 105 and 92 times respectively.
Compare that to the aforementioned 19 and 25 touches of Frimpong and Kerkez, and it paints a picture of domination. For every touch from a Liverpool wing-back, PSG’s duo had nearly five.
Arne Slot’s explanation for use of Liverpool wing-backs
“Hakimi and Nuno Mendes are unbelievable offensive threats apart from all the others,” Slot said after the match.
“We played them with Jeremie Frimpong and with Milos Kerkez, so that was the thought behind it, and that way I thought we could try to press them really high and aggressive because Jeremie and Milos are also two players.
“If you press Hakimi and if you press Nuno Mendes, they play and they start to run more. They don’t start to run, by the way, they start to sprint and actually it’s not even sprinting, it’s just a level above sprinting and you have to cope with that.
“And usually, usually players like Jeremie and Milos are better equipped for that than out-and-out wingers, but I think we can also see that every time we try to press them high and aggressive.
“Those are also the moments where we were completely ripped apart. I think it led to five or six big chances of them when we tried to be high and aggressive.”
PARIS, FRANCE - Wednesday, April 8, 2026: Liverpool's Milos Kerkez challenges for a header with Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi (L) during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 1st Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain FC and Liverpool FC at the Parc des Princes. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Slot was right, Kerkez and Frimpong had to do some serious running.
Hakimi put in the most sprints (23) of anyone during the match, while Mendes did 17. Kerkez and Frimpong were made to follow, as only Konate sprinted more often for Liverpool.
The Reds were given the runaround at the Parc des Princes, a problem Slot needs to fix ahead of the return leg next Tuesday at Anfield. Spoiler, it can’t be with a back five.
FotMob is an essential app for every fan to keep up to date with their team or follow football worldwide, their incredible new features provide all you could ever want and information you never knew you needed! You can download the FotMob App here.