Refreshed from a free weekend after playing eight matches in February, Liverpool resume their Champions League campaign with a tough trip to face Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.
Although the Ligue 1 side have a reputation for flattering to deceive in this competition in recent years, they’ve looked imperious of late, putting Manchester City to the sword in the league phase in January and annihilating Brest 10-0 on aggregate in the knockout play-off round last month.
The latest sports betting nz odds suggest that there won’t be much to choose between two teams who each enjoy 13-point leads at the top of their respective domestic divisions and have every reason to go into this round-of-16 tie with confidence.
It’s a tie that Mamadou Sakho – who’s represented both clubs – is finding too tough to call beforehand!
PSG v Liverpool form guide
Since being held to a draw at home by Reims in late January, PSG are on a daunting run of 10 successive wins in all competitions, with four or more goals scored in six of those matches and two of them ending in 7-0 romps.
You’ve to go back just over three months for the last time that Luis Enrique’s side tasted defeat, which was against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Liverpool won five of their eight matches in February, and despite exiting the FA Cup and being held to two Premier League draws in that time, commanding 2-0 wins over Manchester City and Newcastle to round off the month have the Reds going into this game at the Parc des Princes on a real high.
Probable starting XIs for PSG v Liverpool
PSG: Donnarumma – Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes – Vitinha, Neves, Ruiz – Dembele, Ramos, Barcola
Liverpool: Alisson – Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson – Gravenberch, Mac Allister – Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo – Diaz
PSG v Liverpool prediction
At the risk of jinxing it, we’re all but certain that it won’t be a goalless draw at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night!
Both teams have the firepower to do considerable damage to one another – Ousmane Dembele is already on 26 goals for the season, and even that’s eclipsed by the 30-goal haul that Mo Salah has accumulated.
Liverpool looked very impressive defensively against Man City and Newcastle, and their back four will no doubt be given a stern test by the runaway Ligue 1 leaders. Conversely, the Reds’ imperious number 11 could have Nuno Mendes on toast if he’s at his absolute best!
If LFC can return from Paris with a result, they’ll fancy themselves to finish the job at Anfield six days later. With both sides flying at the moment, we expect plenty of goals and a close contest. We’ll go for a 2-2 draw in the French capital on Wednesday.
