'Time to go' for Liverpool boss as McManaman questions 'lightweight' forwards

Fans have called for Arne Slot to be sacked after Liverpool were beaten 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain, while Steve McManaman called out the Reds’ strikers.

Desire Doue opened the scoring for PSG in just the 11th minute when his deflected strike looped over stand-in Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. The Georgian shot-stopper did well to deny Doue a second in the 37th minute, while Ousmane Dembele missed a fantastic opportunity after the interval.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia doubled PSG’s lead in the 65th minute, running in behind Ryan Gravenberch and showing superb composure to breeze past Joe Gomez and Mamardashvili before finishing with ease.

PSG had a penalty overturned by VAR, while Dembele saw a late strike cannon back off the post.

The result means Liverpool have lost their last three games in all competitions, conceding eight goals.

They were dumped out of the FA Cup by Manchester City and are at serious risk of being knocked out of the Champions League, too.

Slot’s decision to select a back five was bizarre, given he has only ever used such a formation once before at Liverpool. Trialling a system change against one of the best, most attacking sides in the world is hardly the way to go.

One supporter said on BBC Sport: “Proper Liverpool fans have been fully behind the manager with some terrible teams.

“What makes this different is this Slot team are playing some of the worst football we’ve seen, with some of the best players we’ve seen.

“I’m afraid it’s time for him to go.”

A second added: “With Klopp, you knew the line up before the team sheet was revealed. With Slot, you don’t even know [the] formation.

“Every week he is doing something different and hopes it works.”

Another fan wrote on social media: “Arne Slot isn’t an elite coach. Well out of his depth.

“I hope he’s gone by the summer. Or next season will be painful.”

“It looks like Arne Slot has fielded a team not to win the game but to save his job, based on the team selection,” another wrote.

Living Liverpool wrote: “Imagine our players tonight in the dressing room, looking at Arne Slot, telling them to play a formation that they have never trained in their lives.”

McManaman said on TNT Sports: “Weirdly enough, PSG weren’t ruthless enough tonight. The chances they missed…

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Marquinhos had ‘easiest game of season’

“Liverpool had Alisson to the rescue last year. If anything, it was PSG not putting Liverpool to the sword today.

“I thought Liverpool were very lightweight up top, flicking the ball, not getting hold of possession, not being ruthless enough, not taking shots on, so I was a little bit disappointed with that.

“2-0, we’ve seen it happen before, but it’s gonna be difficult to turn this around against this team, 70 per cent possession.

“Marquinhos, the captain, has had the easiest game of the season, he’s hardly done anything today. He’s cruised through it.”

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