Liverpool must win midfield battle to have any chance of knocking Paris Saint-Germain out of UEFA Champions League, says Robbie Fowler

React to this story

Liverpool head into a pivotal week licking their wounds following a 4-0 defeat at Manchester City in the FA Cup, but the visit to Paris Saint-Germain offers Arne Slot the chance to regain favour in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie. Former Reds striker Robbie Fowler has highlighted the importance of stopping Vitinha pulling the strings in midfield for PSG.

'Club legend' Gerrard is 'inspiration for each of us', says Szoboszlai

Video credit: TNT Sports

Liverpool face the daunting task of overcoming UEFA Champions League holders Paris Saint Germain this week.

The first leg of their quarter-final tie is live on TNT Sports and HBO Max on Wednesday night, and Robbie Fowler believes winning the midfield battle will be key to avenging last season's exit.

Arne Slot's side cantered to the Premier League title in his first term in charge, but the Dutchman points to the penalty shoot-out exit at the hands of eventual winners PSG in the round of 16 as the biggest regret of his maiden campaign.

Champions League

Gerrard recalls 'chaotic' half-time dressing room during 2005 UCL final

12/06/2026 at 13:55

The drama was plentiful at Anfield that night, where Ousmane Dembele's goal wiped out Harvey Elliott's late strike a week earlier at the Parc des Princes.

PSG then won the penalty shootout 4-1, providing Luis Enrique's men with a belief which carried them to their first Champions League triumph a few months later.

Reflecting on that tie, Liverpool were fortunate to come away with a slender advantage from the first leg in Paris, where their opponents overpowered them for large parts, before a smash-and-grab finish appeared to have put the Merseysiders in a commanding position to progress. PSG turned it all round at Anfield however.

Much has changed since then, with the pressure mounting now on Slot to convince the club's hierarchy that he is the right man to oversee a period of transition and the integration of £450m worth of talent recruited under his supervision last summer.

Highlights: Liverpool crash out of Europe as Donnarumma heroics send PSG through

Video credit: TNT Sports

For Fowler, who scored 183 goals in 369 appearances across two spells for Liverpool, PSG's midfield metronome Vitinha is capable of deciding the tie - and the 50-year-old has urged his former club to devise a plan to stop the Portugal international exerting his influence.

"From a Liverpool fan's perspective you're hoping that they're going to hurt them in every area," Fowler exclusively told TNT Sports.

"I think centrally if you look at some of the players PSG have - I think Vitinha is a wonderful player - I think if you get in and around him and stop him [you can hurt PSG] as he's the one who seems to be pulling the strings for them.

"You look at the likes of [Bradley] Barcola, [Desire] Doue, Dembele in the final third - ultimately, if you stop them you have got a chance of winning. But I think ultimately Liverpool just need to control the middle of the park.

"[Dominik] Szoboszlai is obviously the big one - I'd worry about taking him out of a central position and putting him at right back, which I don't think will happen again this year. I think that takes away from Liverpool's strengths. Liverpool's strength is putting the energy into the middle, where we can match PSG."

Highlights: Chelsea capitulate in bruising defeat to ruthless PSG

Video credit: TNT Sports

Enrique has instilled a resilience in his Paris Saint-Germain side that was seldom evident during the Galactico era.

A newly forged fearlessness - on display in the cauldron of European nights at Anfield and later at the Emirates against Arsenal, before culminating in the dismantling of Inter in the final - illustrates how the club's shift away from marquee signings toward a more measured, cohesive approach is now bearing fruit.

Slot must project the same robustness into his charges to turn a forgettable season into something memorable, but Fowler is wary of Liverpool's recent return to poor form, highlighted by the nature of defeats at both Brighton and Manchester City.

Fowler: Slot needs to lift 'devoid on confidence' Liverpool

Video credit: TNT Sports

"I think there are a few areas, if I'm being totally honest," Fowler continued when asked specifically about Liverpool's weaknesses.

"Obviously, the performances for Liverpool haven't been as great as they were in numerous seasons gone by.

"Injuries and players not playing at peak form have played a real dour part in Liverpool's performances this year.

"Right back is the one glaring, obvious thing for Liverpool to sort of try to get right, if I'm being honest. It could be a problem. The players coming in have done a decent job, an OK job, but you want someone who's a little bit more of a [traditional] right back.

"It will be a tough game. When you get to these stages of the Champions League, obviously the teams are going to be difficult that you’re up against. It’s probably similar to how Liverpool have been all year - if Liverpool show up they'll give anyone a game.

Slot: Salah's penalty miss 'sums up' Liverpool loss to Man City

Video credit: TNT Sports

"Genuinely they will. They’re not in a great vein of form at the minute, but you’re buoyed by some of the performances PSG have had. Forget the French league, in the Champions League they've not been great. I know they will probably come into their own in the Champions League because we've seen that in the past.

"Newcastle went over there and gave them a good game, Chelsea, to a degree, did. Spurs put three past them over there so I think Liverpool will be buoyed by some of the performances of the English teams going over there.

"Admittedly, they've all been beaten bar Newcastle but to a certain point in each of those games they've been evenly matched.

"I know the 90 minutes is different, but Liverpool have a sneaky chance. And the fact they played them last year. PSG had the fair share of possession in the first game and Liverpool won it, the second game probably could have gone either way, actually."

'Signing forwards hasn't helped Salah'

One of the decisions Slot must make as he takes his side across the English Channel is whether to start Mohamed Salah on the right side of his attack.

The Egyptian announced last month that he is to leave the club, bringing to an end a glittering nine-year association.

Salah compounded a miserable afternoon with another missed penalty during the 4-0 reverse at City on Saturday, and Slot may consider shuffling his forward line in the French capital in search of solutions.

Watch: Salah MISSES penalty as Liverpool’s nightmare gets worse

Video credit: TNT Sports

But will the 33-year-old's impending departure trigger a formation change beyond this season?

"I think if you sit and analyse Liverpool from the players coming in, it tells you that maybe this year was a write-off," Fowler added.

"You've got Salah on one side and [Cody] Gakpo on the other - these are wingers that like to cut inside. So signing forwards has probably not been ideal.

"So you think, maybe the formation needs to change, maybe the personnel need to change, in terms of what type of player is coming into these positions, even if you're staying in the same formation. They've spent upwards of £200m on strikers - that tells you that something's got to give or got to change.

"I wouldn't be amazed if it's a formation change, but what formation it is I don't really know. They could go 3-5-2? Or you could always play the one behind the two strikers?

"I think [Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak] are genuinely both great players. There are a lot of things that annoy me now. You get certain people saying players can't play together.

"Good players can play with anyone. Good players adapt to the situation, and it's not just maybe finding the correct partnership. It's finding the correct players to play around the partnership as well, so I don't think it's ever about the two lads up front playing together.

"It's about finding the right formation and tactical nous to make all these players align and fit together. I think that's what Liverpool really need to do."

Stream the Premier League, men’s and women’s FA Cups, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more live on TNT Sports and HBO Max

Champions League