Liverpool face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarterfinal at Anfield on Tuesday, 2-0 down from the first leg.
Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha celebrates after scoring against Fulham
Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha celebrates after scoring against Fulham(Image: AP Photo/Jon Super)
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If Liverpool are to extend their run in the Champions League beyond this week, then they must conjure up another famous European comeback under the Anfield lights on Tuesday evening.
Arne Slot's side head into the match facing the daunting prospect of having to overturn a two-goal first-leg deficit after Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia gave the defending champions the advantage at half-time in his intriguing tie.
But the Reds are no strangers to a dramatic comeback. Just ask Lionel Messi's Barcelona team of 2019, who saw their 3-0 first leg lead over Jurgen Klopp's side wiped out in the second leg as the Reds went on to win 4-0 on the night in one of Anfield's most famous European evenings.
A similar sort of Herculean effort will be required here if Liverpool are to make it to the semi-finals and team selection will be absolutely key in setting up the best possible chance of pulling off what looks like an unlikely result.
The ECHO's Liverpool FC writers have had their say on how they think Arne Slot should line up his starting XI for this one.
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Paul Gorst
Stranger things have happened at Anfield than Liverpool overturning a two-goal deficit to a side with the quality of Paris Saint-Germain. But admittedly not many.
Will tomorrow go in alongside some of the truly famous nights at this old venue? Or will it just compound the misery further in what has been a long old slog of a season? We're about to find out.
Milos Kerkez returns at left-back and I am just about giving Jeremie Frimpong the nod over Joe Gomez. Liverpool need to start with aggression and speed and the Dutchman can certainly provide the former.
In midfield, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch can patrol but they absolutely have to win their battles and duels, particularly the latter who has so often go quiet when the heat has been raised in the engine room this season.
These are the nights Florian Wirtz was brought to Anfield for at a king's ransom so the pressure and the expectations are on him to deliver too.
Less so Rio Ngumoha, who starts this one for me with no pressure. Just run at them, Rio...
Hugo Ekitike and Mohamed Salah start too with Alexander Isak waiting in the wings with Cody Gakpo.
My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Salah, Wirtz, Ngumoha; Ekitike.
Ian Doyle
Anyone for an Auxerre or a Barcelona? Thought so. But it isn't going to be easy for Liverpool to fight back against Paris Saint-Germain tonight.
What, then, is Reds boss Arne Slot to do? Well, it's time to go as strong as possible. Whatever that actually means.
Definitely Giorgi Mamardashvili is in goal. And the defence more or less picks itself, with Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez at right and left-back respectively with Ibrahima Konate and captain Virgil van Dijk at centre-back.
In midfield is where it gets interesting. Ultimately it's down to whether Liverpool want to keep it tight at the start or go for it. I think the former so that's going to mean Ryan Gravenberch alongside Alexis Mac Allister as the double pivot with Dominik Szoboszlai as the number 10.
Up top, Mohamed Salah is on the right with Florian Wirtz on the left and Hugo Ekitike up top. With the likes of Rio Ngumoha, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo on the bench, Liverpool finally have options.
My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike.
Richard Garnett
We know that miracles can happen in football because we've seen them before at Anfield on numerous occasions. And it's going to take something special - and maybe a bit of luck - to see off a PSG side that already knows what its like to get a result at Anfield.
Slot faces the dilemma of trying to find the right balance between throwing everything at PSG and not leaving themselves too exposed at the back. But fortune favours the brave and I think he needs to set up with a positive mindset from the off.
With Giorgi Mamardashvili continuing in goal, Jeremie Frimpong is in at right-back, alongside centre-backs Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk. Left-back is a tough call, but I'm going with the experience of Andy Robertson, who can provide the leadership that Liverpool need on the pitch on an occasion such as this.
Liverpool's midfield has underwhelmed all season, but with Curtis Jones going off with a groin problem against Fulham, the task of picking a trio becomes slightly easier. I've got Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai as the deeper players, with Florian Wirtz roaming about as a number 10. Jones did train on Monday, but I'd be surprised if he was risked from the start.
In attack, Mohamed Salah takes up his customary position on the right, and I'm playing the ace card by giving Rio Ngumoha the nod on the left. Hugo Ekitike can lead the line from the start, but it is the prospect of the later introduction of Alexander Isak that could write the finishing narrative of his story. If the likes of Frimpong, Robertson and/or Milos Kerkez can supply the Swede with decent deliveries, he could have a bigger impact than expected.
My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Salah, Ekitike, Ngumoha.
Mark Jones
If any sort of grand comeback is to be achieved then I've got a feeling that Florian Wirtz will be central to it, so I'd be picking him as the No.10 and then going from there.
Speed outside him and options out wide are two things that Wirtz loves to be around, and so I'd go with Rio Ngumoha wide left and tell him to just play his natural game for an hour. If he can worry Achraf Hakimi into actually playing in defence then his job will be done.
If Wirtz and Ngumoha do play then a lack of physicality in midfield will have to be overcome, so I'll be picking Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai in there.
The rest of the side does pick itself somewhat, with Milos Kerkez coming back in for Andy Robertson at left-back and Hugo Ekitike in for Cody Gakpo in attack.
My team (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Salah, Wirtz, Ngumoha; Ekitike.