Liverpool head coach Arne Slot admits they will have to produce their best performance of the season to ensure Champions League progress against “the most complete team we have faced.”
After enduring the toughest night of his Anfield reign – and the most difficult for the players in a long time – in the Parc des Princes last week but still coming away with a 1-0 victory, the Dutchman knows they have to raise their game for the second leg of their last-16 tie against Paris St Germain.
The talk in the French capital after Liverpool snatched a backs-to-the-wall win was that PSG had encountered better teams in the form of Bayern Munich and Arsenal this season.
However, Slot has promised they will be more proactive and not sit back on their slender advantage.
“Is there a difference (leading 1-0)? No. We try to play every game to try to win,” he said.
“That is also what we tried to do last week, it wasn’t our intention to be so low (deep) all the time.
“(On Tuesday) we want to play a different game, the intention is always the same – we are not going to go for a draw.
“At Manchester City away that wasn’t the situation, at PSG that wasn’t the situation. But we do take confidence from our home game against City where we did have the ball much more and it was much more of an equal game.”
Asked whether it would require their best performance under him so far, Slot added: “Yes. I do think so. This is the most complete team we have faced so far.
“We have faced Arsenal and City and they are not big margins but the intensity they (PSG) play at combined with the quality – and they are one of the richest clubs – and a great manager it is not easy to play against.”
Statisticians have predicted Liverpool, incredibly, have an 84 per cent chance of progressing and history would appear to be on their side as on the 39 previous occasions they have won the first leg of a European tie they have gone through.
Their record at Anfield is formidable, having lost just once – in September – since April having won all but two of their other home matches this season.
“Some of them have said Arsenal and Bayern Munich were better than us. That is what I have heard,” said Slot on the French view of his team.
“I think what that has to do with is how PSG improved a lot in the two to three months since they played at Arsenal and Bayern.
“At Arsenal they were lower, waiting much more and now they just press all over the pitch and take the risk of one-v-one constantly.
“I cannot influence what they felt – and don’t even know if it is true or not – but I’m hoping they have a different opinion after (Tuesday).”
Slot has been boosted by the return of forward Cody Gakpo after an injury.
