PSG v Liverpool LIVE: Mo Salah and Alexander Isak start on bench for crunch Champions League quarter-final – UK Times

PSG XI: Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Joao Neves; Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Doue

Subs: Chevalier, Marin, Lucas Beraldo, Zabarnyi, Goncalo Ramos, Kang-in Lee, Hernandez, Mayulu, Fernandez, Mbaye

Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Frimpong, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike

Arne Slot enjoyed this fixture last season despite Liverpool ultimately being beaten.

Ahead of the rematch tonight he said: “It’s only about two games and a lot can happen in two games. I think both teams have very good players and both were able to show that when we went toe-to-toe last season.

“They’re champions of Europe – fully deserved – and they kept the team together.

“Usually, the longer you keep a team together, the better they become, if that is even possible because they were so impressive last season.”

Arne Slot gave a positive update on Liverpool’s missing striker who could make his return to the team tonight.

The head coach said: “He finished close to a week of team training sessions, so he can play a part.

“We think we can get a performance out of him now, but not [ready] to start.”

Arne Slot insisted Liverpool can draw on their rich history to give them hope in the troubled times of this season and said that every time they fall over, they can get back on their feet.

Liverpool face Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday after losing their last two games and 15 matches in all competitions, with Slot saying: “It is completely true that performances and results have been inconsistent the whole season.”

Liverpool’s season hasn’t gone the way they would have liked but Florian Wirtz still believes they can achieve something special this year.

He said: “We have shown this season we are good in big games. Especially in Champions League games. The last round against Galatasaray was not easy, they are a good team [but we won].

“We have the second game at home which is maybe an advantage. We will try to do our best, believe in ourselves and get a good result to take to Anfield.”

Florian Wirtz is looking forward to tonight’s encounter and hopes Liverpool can make it through this round.

He said: “It’s a very big competition, Champions League games are always special. We’ll try to enjoy it, to go as far as possible and hopefully come through this round.

“We know it’s difficult because the best teams in the world are playing in the Champions League but it’s good to play against these teams and see where you are.”

Here’s a final word from the PSG coach who said: “We hope to have more of the ball than Liverpool, but we know how difficult it is, because they are a very good team with a very good coach.

“We are used to playing against English teams, so in that sense it will be no different from last year.”

Luis Enrique also spoke about the importance of having all his squad players playing to the best of their ability and named dropped a couple who could make a difference across the two legs.

“A team that wants to win all the trophies needs players like Gonçalo Ramos or Kang-In Lee who help the team at any time ,” Enrique said.

“These are very difficult players to find, they are very important to try to win what we want.”

For a year and more, Arne Slot has often harked back to what he frequently describes as the best tie has been involved in.

If sequels can be worse than the original, this threatens to be more painful; for Slot, anyway.