Liverpool boss Arne Slot described his side's Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain as "the best game of football" he's ever been involved in.

In what was a thrilling contest, the Premier League leaders were beaten 4-1 on penalties after their last-16 tie ended 1-1 on aggregate following a 1-0 loss in the second leg at Anfield on Tuesday.

Liverpool were comprehensively outplayed in the first leg in Paris but escaped with victory courtesy of a late Harvey Elliott goal.

PSG turned the tables at Anfield after scoring early through Ousmane Dembele and Reds manager Slot conceded his side may have used up their luck in the first leg.

Slot sanguine after Liverpool exit in ‘best game of football I’ve ever been involved in’	PSG loss 'best game I've been involved in' - Slot	'The best game I've ever been involved in' - Slot on PSG defeat

"It was the best game of football I was ever involved in.

Everybody around the world enjoyed watching this game and the margins are small, and if you want to win it you have to have some luck, we had it last week, I don't think we had it today.

"Now it's clear what we have to do for the rest of the season - one league cup final and nine Premier League games to go."

Merse's verdict: Slot must pick players up for cup final

Paul Merson on Soccer Special reacting to Liverpool's exit from the Champions League in a tie which featured injuries to Alexander-Arnold and Konate:.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has urged his team-mates to brush off their Champions League exit as he looked forward to Sunday's Carabao Cup final, live on Sky Sports (kick-off 4.30pm).

Slot's side will be hoping to bounce back at Wembley and win the first silverware of the season as they take on Newcastle.

Van Dijk said: "It was very intense, a great game of football to be part of.

"Obviously it was a totally different Liverpool from what we showed in Paris but, unfortunately, went out on penalties and that's the reality.

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Speaking after Liverpool's defeat to PSG on penalties at Anfield in the Champions League, Paul Merson suggested that the biggest winners from the game are Newcastle United ahead of Sunday's Carabao Cup final.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher was full of praise for PSG after their victory at Anfield and he thinks the best team won the tie, in the end.

"The best team won," the Sky Sports pundit told CBS.

"We saw how PSG performed in the first leg - I called it a robbery.

"In the first 20 minutes, half-an-hour, I thought Liverpool were going on to win this game comfortably but they just couldn't get that goal early on, and then PSG get it.

"For the rest of the game it felt like nip and tuck but in extra-time, PSG took over and we (Liverpool) were hanging on for penalties.

"Then, it's a lottery but PSG deserved to go through

Sky Sports' Adam Bate at Anfield:

"There was applause from the Liverpool supporters at the end, they were eager to stand by their team after their heroics this season, but PSG deserved that over the two legs.

"Arne Slot's side could count themselves unfortunate in the sense that Mohamed Salah missed two presentable opportunities before Ousmane Dembele's goal and Dominik Szoboszlai had a goal disallowed for offside.

"But while Liverpool were much more impressive in this game than a week ago, it was not enough.

"Salah was below par and for once Slot's substitutions did not pay off."

"His job is to pick up these players for the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones included, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate went off injured.

"The Premier League title awaits but Liverpool's European dream is over for this season."


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