However, Slot is much more likely to hold Isak in reserve for the second half – which is the smart play, in fairness, given the Swede’s limited game time – and deploy Wirtz on the left-hand side of the forward line.
There is certainly merit to such an approach. Liverpool don’t want to leave themselves exposed in midfield – arguably PSG’s strongest area – so we may well see Szoboszlai in the No.10 role, just ahead of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch in the midfield pivot.
Nonetheless, while the Reds can’t afford to be reckless, they do have to be bold – and that means putting Wirtz in his best position, while at the same time letting Ngumoha loose on the left wing.
With his wonderful vision and tremendous technique, Wirtz links the play like nobody else in Slot’s side and while it was by no means an ingenious assist, the pass from which Ngumoha eventually broke the deadlock against Fulham after a succession of stepovers was tellingly provided by Liverpool’s most creative player.
Those two potential superstars need to be given as much time to do as much damage as possible against PSG, because if the Reds are going to hurt the European champions, they’re going to have to hit them with everything they’ve got.
This is no time for half-measures – or hanging about. Liverpool have to go full-throttle from the first whistle and that means sacrificing some of the control Slot loves in order to embrace a little of the old anarchy championed by his predecessor, Jurgen Klopp.
The best way to create that climate of chaos would be to add Ngumoha into the mix. He’s Liverpool’s wild card, the unknown quantity from PSG’s perspective, a potential tie-changer who’s already lifted some of the negativity around Anfield with his performance at the weekend.
As Steve Nicol pointed out after the win over Fulhamin a season of almost relentless negativity, the Reds have been desperately “searching for positives – and Ngumoha is a positive. He scares defenders”. The hope must be that Slot won’t be afraid to start him on Tuesday night.
