4 Liverpool players missing vs PSG as Arne Slot issues Alexander Isak update

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How the Liverpool squad looks ahead of the Champions League first-leg trip to Paris, with some of the team's most experienced players missing for the quarterfinal tie

Alexander Isak has returned for Liverpool's Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool will be without four players for its Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain, but has been boosted by the return of Alexander Isak.

The striker has not played for nearly four months, since he suffered an ankle injury and broken leg just days before Christmas following a robust challenge from Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven.

Isak was back in training last week and Arne Slot suggested he may have been involved against Manchester City. The former Newcastle man was ultimately deemed not fit enough after just two sessions, but was selected in the traveling party that flew to France on Tuesday for the Champions League quarterfinal.

Speaking ahead of the first leg, Slot confirmed Isak is ready to play some part. “He's finished close to a week of team sessions now, so he can play a part, otherwise I wouldn't take him,” said the Dutchman.

“I decided not to take him to the Etihad because we thought, after we had talks with the player and the staff, that we couldn't get a performance out of him.

“Now, we think we can get a performance out of him... but not to start, let's be clear.”

Isak trained ahead of the PSG game and could make his return in Paris(Image: Getty Images)

Elsewhere, the biggest blow ahead of the game is the absence of Alisson. The goalkeeper will miss both legs against PSG due to a hamstring injury, meaning Giorgi Mamardashvili will start in goal.

“We are prepared for the game and if it goes as I hope, we don't need the goalkeeper. But is that realistic? PSG scored in all their games except for one,” Slot said ahead of the game when asked about his stand-in stopper.

“They are so offensive with quality and you need a good goalkeeper, but for 35 minutes at the Etihad, we didn't need one. I was hoping he'd save a few.”

Giorgi Mamardashvili is expected to start in goal for Liverpool(Image: Yagiz Gurtug/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Alisson is joined on the sidelines by Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo, all of whom are not expected to play again this season.

The Reds will be out for revenge after last season’s last-16 exit at the hands of PSG. Liverpool won 1-0 in the Parc des Princes, but even Slot, on reflection, admitted in Tuesday’s press conference that the first-leg result was a “robbery” given the hosts’ dominance.

PSG won the second meeting and, with the scores level on aggregate after 210 minutes, the tie was settled from the spot, with the Parisians securing passage to the next round.