Dejected Jamie Carragher says Liverpool looked like 'team from lower division' against PSG

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Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher spoke on CBS about the difference between the Reds and the PSG after Wednesday's Champions League quarterfinal meeting in Paris

Jamie Carragher was not pleased with Liverpool's performance against PSG(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool looked to be a class below during the side's Champions League clash with PSG on Tuesday, losing 2-0 in the Parc des Princes to goals from Desire Doue and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Jamie Carragher watched from the CBS Sports studio alongside the panel of Kate Abdo, Micah Richards, and Thierry Henry. Just as Virgil van Dijk did to TNT sports, Carragher mourned the "gulf" in quality between the two sides.

"That was like watching a team from a lower division," the ex-Liverpool defender admitted. "The gulf in class was very worrying from a Liverpool point of view.....In some ways, it's a great result as it should have been five or six."

Carragher referenced Liverpool's away game against PSG last year — a smash-and-grab 1-0 win thanks to a late goal from Harvey Elliott and a goalkeeping masterclass from Alisson — before praising coach Arne Slot for coaching a competitive second game.

"Yes, Liverpool got battered at PSG and they won 1-0, we know that," he said. "But the second leg at Anfield was a really close game, two top teams."

Arne Slot's Liverpool looked a class below PSG(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool then go and spend ($450 million), probably a lot more than PSG spent in the summer. To see the gulf there is worrying. You think, how's it got to that? How's it got that bad?"

Carragher then mentioned Slot's decision to play a back five, a major departure from his typical 4-2-3-1 formation. It did't work — Liverpool only had 24% possession and allowed 18 shots.

Virgil van Dijk played in a back five for Liverpool against PSG(Image: Getty Images)

"The manager has tried something but he's got it massively wrong tactically, how he went about it," Carragher added. "It's easy for me to say that, after the event, but that's what we do, we're pundits, we speak after the events in the game."

"They were actually more open with the back five than they would be with the back four because they went man-to-man all over the pitch and the three centre-backs had to cover the width of the pitch. Watching Virgil van Dijk tonight in the middle of the back three [was tough]."

Despite the battering, Slot and Liverpool have a chance in the second leg thanks to the Anfield crowd. The Reds have performed much better at home in the Champions League this season, as exemplified by their 4-0 home win over Galatasaray in March.

For Liverpool to have a chance, Slot may need to revert back to his typical formation.