Pressing, profligacy and defensive lapses: what Slot must fix in Paris

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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player The Sunday Supplement panel discuss Liverpool's exit from the FA Cup after a big 4-0 loss to Manchester City and what the future holds for Arne Slot if the Reds continue to struggle. "That is something we definitely have to do better on Wednesday."Dominik Szoboszlai agreed: "You have to fight, work hard, be there for each other and that's what we are missing sometimes."If last season's clash in Paris, or even Chelsea's recent visit to the French capital when they conceded twice late on, are anything to go by, then Slot and his players are sure to face a number of challenging moments on Wednesday night.How they react to, say, an early goal in the cauldron of the Parc des Princes will be vital to their overall chances as heads cannot collectively drop in the same way they did at the weekend.Van Dijk must stand upOne thing we know for sure is Liverpool simply cannot defend how they did at Man City if they are to avoid a similar drubbing on Wednesday evening.Slot will almost certainly go with the same back four in Paris as he did in Manchester, with the only possible change being Jeremie Frimpong starting in place of Joe Gomez at right back.It is not so much the personnel, though, more that those players the Dutchman does pick - and in fairness he is hardly flush with options at the back - need to do their jobs better, starting with Van Dijk.

Image: Virgil van Dijk [right] endured a torrid afternoon in Liverpool's 4-0 defeat at Man City on Saturday The skipper, who will be 35 in July, has for the first time in his Anfield career faced scrutiny this season, never more so than after an error-strewn display at City where the centre back's clumsy concession of a penalty was the catalyst for shipping four goals in little more than 15 minutes either side of half-time.Van Dijk then failed to track Antoine Semenyo's run for the hosts' third goal at the start of the second half, while he was not close enough to Erling Haaland to prevent the Norway striker's hat-trick strike."We have to defend so much better," was Slot's analysis at full-time on Saturday, and he will hope his back line have learned their lessons ahead of what is sure to be a similar test this week.Be more clinical in front of goalLiverpool have no chance at all of causing an upset on Wednesday if their forwards continue to misfire in front of goal as they have for much of this campaign.Saturday's result may not have been any different, but the Reds spurned a number of presentable openings with the score still goalless - especially Mohamed Salah, who also went on to miss a second-half penalty when the game was already over.That is the forward's second failure from the spot in a row after he saw his penalty saved against Galatasaray, symptomatic of both his and the team's attacking struggles all season. Unfortunately that ball doesn't go in and that's what football is about, you have to score goals if you want the chance to win."In stark contrast, while Slot's strikers have been fluffing their lines for the majority of the campaign, it seems the opposition need only arrive in his team's box to score, often with their first attempt at goal."Again, we faced a team that was outperforming their xG by a mile and that's what happens constantly and we every time are under that," added an exasperated Reds boss.Salah has to play in Paris, but is that the right call?As mentioned, Salah endured another difficult afternoon at the Etihad in what was the Egyptian's first game after announcing he would be leaving the club at the end of the campaign.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Take a look at some of the ridiculous stats from Mohamed Salah's time at Liverpool you might not be aware of. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Arne Slot responds to tough questions after Liverpool's 4-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup.