soccer

Big night needed for 'Jekyll and Hyde' Liverpool

Yahoo Sports

[Getty Images] Liverpool will have to create one of those special nights under the Anfield lights if they are to reach the Champions League semi-finals. They go into the second leg of their quarter-final against Paris St-Germain on Tuesday trailing 2-0. PSG had 18 shots to Liverpool's three in the first leg, of which six were on target for the French side and none for Liverpool, while the holders dominated the ball with 74% possession.

"I don't think they can afford to go with five at the back," said former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock on BBC Radio 5 Live. "It went against all the beliefs of Liverpool fans and almost what Arne Slot has spoken about this year on how he wants to play football. "He doesn't want to be a defensive team that take long throws and set-pieces, and that's exactly what they tried to do out in Paris and it didn't work.

"They're going to have to go for it. It's going to be fascinating how this plays out because if they open up too much then Paris St-Germain have that quality to take you to pieces and they will be more clinical than other teams. "My heart says they'll put on a great performance and get something out of the game, but it might not be enough.

"My head says I think this could be a really tough night. I think this could be one of those games where there's a lot of optimism around it, but the quality of Paris St-Germain might just be too much. "The only thing I would say is there have been performances this season where you think 'I didn't see that coming'.

That's the problem with Liverpool at the moment - they're very Jekyll and Hyde. " The Opta Supercomputer gives Liverpool a 15. 3% chance of progressing to the semi-finals.