emirates7 - Pressure on Liverpool manager Arne Slot continues mounting with the Dutchman admitting that his side were “in survival mode” during their defeat to PSG in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Desire Doue opened the scoring early on with a deflected effort, before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia added a second just past the hour. The hosts dominated throughout, enjoying 70 per cent possession and registering 18 shots compared to the visitors’ threeParis Saint-Germain was by far the better team today and could have scored more thatwo goals, but the good thing was the Liverpool players showed fiting spirit and kept going,” Slot said, following his side’s defeat.
“Of course you think you can do better, but we were in survival mode for large parts of the game, and maybe also we are in survival mode at this period of the season,” said Slot, whose team have won just one of their last six matches.
“It is really hard against this team. PSG was the better team, but we didn’t give up and that is why we still have a chance in this tie, and now we can bring the tie back to Anfield, and in between there is still a very important game to play against Fulham.”
The Reds were knocked out to PSG last season in the Champions League and that was during a campaign where Slot’s side were dominating domestically and went on to win the Premier league.
Given their dip in form this season, the 47-year-old was likely justified in opting for a more defensively focused lineup rather than taking the game to a PSG side that had scored eight goals against Chelsea over two legs in the previous round.
Slot selected Joe Gomez as a third centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk, while Mohamed Salah was left on the bench and did not feature at all.
The Dutchman defended his decision to Salah and again used the term “surviving” when discussing his approach to the game.
“The last part of the game it was more about surviving for us than it was ever about scoring,” Slot explained.
“Mo has so much quality but for Mo to be 20 to 25 minutes defending in his own box, I think it is better for him to save his energy for a lot of games we have coming up.”
Slot will be feeling the pressure, with his side down in fifth in the Premier League and facing a genuine threat of European elimination unless they can overturn the tie on April 14.
Liverpool must now look to respond at home against Fulham in the Premier League before turning their attention to the return leg against PSG, who benefit from a weekend off after their Ligue 1 clash with title rivals Lens was postponed.
Desire Doue opened the scoring early on with a deflected effort, before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia added a second just past the hour. The hosts dominated throughout, enjoying 70 per cent possession and registering 18 shots compared to the visitors’ threeParis Saint-Germain was by far the better team today and could have scored more thatwo goals, but the good thing was the Liverpool players showed fiting spirit and kept going,” Slot said, following his side’s defeat.
“Of course you think you can do better, but we were in survival mode for large parts of the game, and maybe also we are in survival mode at this period of the season,” said Slot, whose team have won just one of their last six matches.
“It is really hard against this team. PSG was the better team, but we didn’t give up and that is why we still have a chance in this tie, and now we can bring the tie back to Anfield, and in between there is still a very important game to play against Fulham.”
The Reds were knocked out to PSG last season in the Champions League and that was during a campaign where Slot’s side were dominating domestically and went on to win the Premier league.
Given their dip in form this season, the 47-year-old was likely justified in opting for a more defensively focused lineup rather than taking the game to a PSG side that had scored eight goals against Chelsea over two legs in the previous round.
Slot selected Joe Gomez as a third centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk, while Mohamed Salah was left on the bench and did not feature at all.
The Dutchman defended his decision to Salah and again used the term “surviving” when discussing his approach to the game.
“The last part of the game it was more about surviving for us than it was ever about scoring,” Slot explained.
“Mo has so much quality but for Mo to be 20 to 25 minutes defending in his own box, I think it is better for him to save his energy for a lot of games we have coming up.”
Slot will be feeling the pressure, with his side down in fifth in the Premier League and facing a genuine threat of European elimination unless they can overturn the tie on April 14.
Liverpool must now look to respond at home against Fulham in the Premier League before turning their attention to the return leg against PSG, who benefit from a weekend off after their Ligue 1 clash with title rivals Lens was postponed.
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