Liverpool press conference - Arne Slot and Diogo Jota updates, Cody Gakpo injury news

Slot

Maybe I do think it's 50/50 tomorrow, the result was ours the performance was for them. We are 1-0 up and it gives us confidence, the performance, yeah 50/50 is a far assumption on the night."

Gakpo back

Cody Gakpo returns tomorrow. Back in the squad, Slot confirms.

Slot on dreaming this week

No, you don't dream, you have to work really hard to prepare the team the best way, I try to do this every game. When you have a game like last week you wonder if you can even sleep! I don't dream this week, we are focused and the week started off well Saturday and now we look forward to tomorrow, everyone looks forward to a game like this.

Slot on defending lead

We try to win every game, what we try to do last week, wasn't our intention to be so low [defending]. We want a different game and our intentions are the same, we don't want a draw. We want the ball as much as we can. We do take confidence from our home game v City, much better than it was away from Man City. They had 27 shots but it was not that all 27 were amazing saves, he made 2 or 3 incredible but most were outside the area."

Slot

I enjoyed watching Luis Enrique's Barcelona if they don't play against us! Xavi, Iniesta, but now he has Vitinha and Neves, lighting fast players up front and full-backs who attack. They rotate a bit more. Makes it even harder to play against. Am I same as I was ten years ago? I hope so as a person, as a manager I hope I improved."

Slot

We hope we will have more of the ball but again if you saw them playing, they are intense without the ball, which led to them creating a few chances, they took the ball away from us. But in the 87 minute we played it long and they were open, when I watched the game back, I saw a few moments that we could have had chances if we did that better. The thing is, they did exhaust us a bit more than I wanted, constantly pressing us and if we don't get the ball you are too tired to make a perfect exeuction, that is why it makes sense to have the ball a bit more and hopefully it opens up a bit more. I don't agree with people who said we were poor, doesn't give incredible PSG credit they deserve."

Slot on week like this

Not particularly this week but many things why I wanted to be LFC manager, you would expect us to be in these kind of moments at Anfield, you expect to compete for every trophy. It is a nice part of the season, there is pressure every day and that is what we like otherwise we wouldn't be in this environment."

Slot

The most important game because it is the next one.

Slot on motivation from PSG reported comments

I don't think anyone needs extra motivation, knockout stages in CL, two of the best teams in Europe right now. PSG and we are two of those, no-one needs motivation, not fans, players, staff; we are all looking forward to a game like this, we need to be at our best."

Slot on PSG 'surprise'

Some of them have said Arsenal and Bayern were better, from what I have heard, PSG improved a lot in these two or three months and they played away. I saw both of those games, PSG have improved a lot. They press all over the pitch now, so they have changed. And yea, it's up to them how they felt. I cannot influence what they felt. Don't even know if it is true or not. I am hoping they have a different opinion tomorrow.

This is the most complete team we've faced so far. Of course, we have played Arsenal, Real, Man City but the quality PSG have, probably the richest club but they have so much quality with a great coach, he let's them play in a way that is not easy to play against, work-rate incredible. Why we have to be at our best tomorrow. At home we had a different performance against City than away..."

Slot on improving

I wasn't surprised with their performance, I watched them a lot and I was impressed with their intensity. They are such a complete team, since last Weds, some people said we played poor, they played tremendously well. But I do think we can do better. We are a better team than we were last week and that is something we have to do tomorrow."

Slot

I think after this game, still a long way to the final. We know we can play Villa/Brugge and then maybe Arsenal and one of the Madrid teams. We are all good enough to reach the final, so difficult to say. PSG have a game of football to lose and us as well, so I do think both, at this stage, have been here. We were not even in this stage and this was the round we were knocked out [two years ago]. Usually these teams go far in this tournament."

Jota

Obviously sometimes you have bad and good games, it is form, like when you have a certain amount of games. As long as you still be useful to everyone, it helps. How can you in the end help the team? That is what I try to do everytime I am on the pitch. I on the pitch, every game is a new opportunity."

Jota on last CL goal - 4 years ago tomorrow

Let it be 4 years then! Stats are also a part of today's game especially but they don't say everything. I want to score but it is not the factor that influence my game. If I don't score and we go through, I don't mind."

Jota

We know tomorrow with our fans will be different, we want to go through.

"Last week the toughest yet? Yes, I think so. Obviously some games of the season are tough but the way the game went was not the plan, even though things were not going well, we stayed in the game, it meant to lot to do that and it showed the character this team has."

Jota on season

It is a big week, a big week. We knew that before, we knew Southampton was massive and now 2 more games in 2 different comps. So it is one game at a time, tomorrow is a big game and we want to go through."

Jota on Salah

It's outstanding. At the moment, people stop counting [the numbers] because it is for sure, the player I play with, the best season, the difference is so big it is like let's see the final numbers. Yeah, obviously, it is good to have a player like that."

Jota on injuries

It's been a difficult season for me, I had a few complications over the season, last few months I don't feel I am at my best, I will try to get there and I will do my best. You never know [how long it takes] I don't play alone, so there are a lot of things you can't control but you can give your best."

Enrique on the importance of the game

I always hope the most important game is the one that comes next. Tomorrow, quite clearly, one team will be knocked out. I hope it is not us! We will go out there and play our own game and right from the outset we will go out there and try to win."

Enrique on surprises up his sleeve

I don't think Arne Slot has doubts about my 11 tomorrow! I have mine about his too. I don't pay too much attention to what is going on elsewhere, I won't give too much away but over the two games, we will see two of Europe's best playing; two contenders for the final, whoever wins tomorrow will go to the final, two different styles and two of the best. Giving away info just depends on people's styles I guess."

Enrique

I have often told you why I don't speak to my players after the game. There is no point to it because the players are just thinking about the result. But I decided to after this game v Liverpool because I wanted to tell them they have played such a great game, I wanted to lift their spirits, but I don't think I will do that again."

Enrique on Barcelona 'Remontada' v PSG in 2017

No! It is not a situation I like, I would prefer to have been winning 4-0 but when you have your back against the wall, you can respond. I would have preferred not to been down like that of course."

Enrique on second leg

There is always room to improve but circumstances changes. What you do at home the fans support so we have to be good at what we know we can. I am optimstic when it comes to the team I have. We need to defend, attack together; keep the ball and we can create chances."

Enrique on Slot's compliments

Our aim is always to be better than our opponents, it is tough away from home. Most our results in France in Paris but still difficult away. Everything starts from playing football, we know areas we have to improve, we are focused on the football, we need to keep the ball and we will see how it develops."

Enrique on motivation

I am convinced all my players will want to play here, we know what playing here means at this historic stadium and that is a huge source of motivation for my players, my team. That is the motivation.

"I have spoken about this in the past, last season in matches at top level, it's difficult to manage emotions and expectations, even for top players. It is not easy to 100% but also if you are 105% you might be carried away so you need to manage it"

Enrique on how he convinces players

We have trained and tomorrow, you know, there won't be any change in our approach or attitude. Regardless of the approach, we wouldn't have changed. We are out at the moment, so we need to win. That is driving us on."

Kvaratskhelia on what PSG need to do

Most important is last game we created chances, many, many we didn't score but we missed it and I think tomorrow it is so important to be ready for every moment and if we are ready we have to be to score and use our strength on the team."

Kvaratskhelia on game

I think tomorrow, Liverpool will be more confident, they are at home with amazing fans, so it will be tougher than Paris. They are winning 1-0 and it will be a different game, but we try to play our game, so let's see tomorrow who will be in the next round and who will win this battle."

Kvaratskhelia on position switch

I think when you play at PSG, it doesn't matter where you play. I am close to scoring goals and that is the most important. Wherever the team needs me I will do my best. I don't really care where, the most important is I am just playing. Doing the best for the team, position doesn't matter."

Kvaratskhelia on Enrique

Of course he tells us many stories and he is telling us we have to concentrate on our game and be confident and try more and more and anything is possible. He's had many games like that [where comeback is needed] so he just shows us and we try to do our best."