Preview: PSG vs. Liverpool
The Reds attempt to maintain their spot at the top of the Group C table.
PSG vs Liverpool
| Wednesday, November 28th |
Champions League | Parc des Princes
8PM BST / 3PM EST
With two rounds remaining in the Champions League group stages, Liverpool’s group of death remains shockingly close, with only two points separating the first-placed Reds from Red Star in fourth. In other words, what started so impressively with a thorough win over PSG at Anfield back in September has become the very definition of squeaky bum time, and Jürgen Klopp’s men will likely have to win at least one of their final games while avoiding a loss in the other in order to progress to the knockout rounds.
First up, then, are the French league leaders. With 14 wins from 14 matches and a 46-7 goal differential, Les Parisiens are walking away with the domestic title, already leading Lyon by 15 points. Their €466m front line have combined for 36 goals in all competitions, and blatant disregard for Financial Fair Play doesn’t look like it is going to bear out any consequences. Things aren’t looking half bad for the Frenchmen.
The Champions League has been a different proposition, however, and PSG currently sit third in Group C, precariously at risk of elimination. While Kylian Mbappé and Neymar are both back in training and reportedly fit, there is a very real chance neither man will start on Wednesday, leaving Edinson Cavani as their only real goalscoring threat. Thomas Tuchel’s men desperately need a win, and will be pulling out all the stops tomorrow night, suggesting this is going to be an open an exciting contest.
Projected Liverpool Lineup (4-3-3)
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Milner, Keïta; Salah, Firmino, Mané
With another comfortable scoreline in the books, the Reds are just about keeping pace with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, and a certain amount of squad rotation will be necessary to keep that up as the season enters its busiest stretch, with Liverpool playing ten games in 36 days.
Joe Gomez is likely to step back into the starting XI after missing Saturday’s win over Watford with a minor injury, while Sadio Mané has been cleared for action following a short illness. Jordan Henderson will be suspended for the weekend’s Merseyside derby, making the captain a probable starter tomorrow night. James Milner only played 20 minutes at the weekend and also looks set to make his return.
The final midfield spot will be manned by Georginio Wijnaldum or Naby Keita, depending on whether Klopp favours control or transition play as the Reds look to cement their spot in the knockout stage of the competition. Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, both coming off goals at the weekend, look certain to start, maintaining their record as the only two players to have been involved in every game this season.
What Did the Managers Say
Klopp: “What do I expect? I think PSG are a team that will go for a win. They are of a very high level. Tuchel is a very creative manager, who always works on solutions. That means we have to be prepared for different scenarios”
Tuchel: “Fear? No I don’t fear anything, but I definitely feel the pressure in every match. This match is even more special. It’s very important, tomorrow is definitely going to be decisive and I feel the pressure inside me. But it’s my pressure, not reflecting on the players.”
The Officials (POL)
Referee: Szymon Marciniak
Assistants: Paweł Sokolnicki, Tomasz Listkiewic
Fourth official: Radosław Siejka
Additional assistants: Paweł Raczkowski, Tomasz Musiał
Kickoff is set for 8PM GMT/3PM EST tomorrow, and television listings for the match can be found on LiveSoccerTV.
In the meantime, and as always, we’ll be keeping you updated with all the buildup to the game, including team news as it’s released, our live matchday thread, and post-match recaps from The Liverpool Offside staff. If you want to join the discussion, sign up for an SB Nation account to have your say on the action as it happens.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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