Steve Nicol was pleased with the attitude that Liverpool showed in their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on Tuesday but lamented their ‘awful’ decision-making in the final third.
Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, the Reds kept the tie alive going into the second half last night and were the dominant team for 20-25 minutes after the interval but, crucially, had nothing to show for it.
In contrast to that profligacy from the home side, two lethal finishes from Ballon D’Or winner Ousmane Dembele ensured that the scoreline from Paris was repeated, even if the overall complexion of the two games was rather different.
In sifting through the aftermath of Liverpool’s Champions League exit, Nicol was happy with how the Reds competed on the night but felt that they let themselves down in the attacking third.
The ex-LFC defender told ESPN FC: “I have to admit, around the 65th minute, I started to think, ‘They may have a chance here’. Up until then I wasn’t feeling it. I was happy that Liverpool had been competing. In that second half, Liverpool absolutely tore into PSG.
“Unfortunately for Liverpool, the final pass, the final decision – whatever it was in that attacking third, the ball just wasn’t slightly off. It was awful. The amount of times the pass was missed by a good half-a-yard or a yard in an around that penalty box was just way too much.”
Nicol added: “In terms of the whole game, if Liverpool – between now and the end of the season – can show the same spirit, desire and quality from back to front, they will get a Champions League spot.
“They have to do way better in the final third, but in terms of the game, I was happy that Liverpool competed until that goal in the 71st minute.”
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Similar to Tim Sherwood, Nicol commended the attitude with which Liverpool played last night, and who knows how differently the final quarter may have transpired if the Reds didn’t have a legitimate penalty overturned after a VAR review.
However, the final score ultimately came down to PSG being clinical and Arne Slot’s side being wasteful, and the statistics from Anfield (via Sofascore) illustrate that.
To compound the agony, LFC are set to be without their top scorer Hugo Ekitike for the remainder of the season (and quite possibly several months), and the Frenchman will be sorely missed in our pursuit of a top-five Premier League finish and subsequent Champions League qualification.
Liverpool simply can’t afford to be so profligate in their final six matches of the campaign, especially with five of those coming against teams currently in the top eight in the league, and their European fate for 2026/27 may well hinge on that very factor.
In theory, the Reds’ mission is simple – replicate last night’s determination whilst demonstrating a greater cutting edge in attack. The practicality of delivering upon that mightn’t be quite as straightforward, but it’s essential for Slot’s side.
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