UCL Quarterfinal: PSG vs Liverpool preview, prediction, team news and head-to-head

• Over 3.5 goals

• Both teams to score

• PSG to win

• Dembele to score anytime

Arne Slot and his team are most probably sick of the color blue, whatever shade it may be.

First it was Brighton & Hove Albion beating them in the Premier League just before the March international break. Then Manchester City dismantled them in merciless fashion in the FA Cup.

And now they’re facing a PSG side who have progressed from each of their last four Champions League quarter-final ties.

The holders have strung together a seven-game unbeaten run against English teams in the competition, winning five of those fixtures while having their way with a lackluster Chelsea outfit in two of them.

Wednesday's hosts most recently eased to a 3-1 triumph over Toulouse, thanks in no small part to an Ousmane Dembele double, to extend their winning run to four matches in all tournaments and establish a four-point lead at the top of the table, and they still have a game in hand too.

Liverpool, for their part, have suffered an unsightly four defeats from their last five away games in all competitions, only beating Championship-bound Wolverhampton Wanderers in that time.

National champion faces national champion in this UCL quarter-final tie, but there are no prizes for guessing which team looks like actual champions.

PSG and Liverpool have met on six previous occasions in European competition, with both registering three wins each.

Their most recent meetings came in the Champions League last season, where both won 1-0 away from home in the round of 16, before the Parisians won a penalty shootout at Anfield to progress (4-1).

PSG are unbeaten in their last six Champions League games against English sides (W5 D1), including also facing Tottenham Hotspur (5-3 win) and Newcastle United (1-1) in the league phase.

They have progressed from all four of their knockout-stage ties against such opponents since the start of last season (Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Chelsea).

PSG Champions League form: 🟥🟧🟩🟧🟩🟩

PSG form (all competitions): 🟩🟥🟩🟩🟩🟩

Liverpool Champions League form: 🟥🟩🟩🟩🟥🟩

Arsenal form (all competitions): 🟩🟥🟧🟩🟥🟥

Liverpool at least came out of Saturday's slaughter with no new fitness concerns and even welcomed all of Mohamed Salah, Federico Chiesa and Jeremie Frimpong back from injury, but Alexander Isak (leg) was not quite ready to make the cut.

The £125m attacker may be considered for a place on the bench this week, but Alisson Becker (unspecified) could miss the rest of the month, while Conor Bradley (knee), Giovanni Leoni (ACL) and Wataru Endo (ankle) are out for the season.

Fabian Ruiz (knee) and teenage attacker Quentin Ndjantou (unspecified) are sidelined for PSG, along with Bradley Barcola who is recovering from an ankle sprain and is also at risk of missing the second leg next week.

None of Vitinha, Joao Neves or Nuno Mendes made the first XI against Toulouse, but the trio are certain to return to their rightful roles on Wednesday night, as will evergreen skipper Marquinhos.

PSG: Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia

Liverpool: Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike

Not a single one of Liverpool's previous 36 competitive games against French teams has finished 0-0, and there is little chance of a drab draw at the Parc des Princes, where things could get incredibly messy for the Reds.

Furthermore, when factoring in how the Reds – in much better form then – were battered for large spells against PSG at the Parc des Princes last season, all signs point towards a difficult night.

Hence, PSG have our backing to do a Man City on Wednesday night, leaving Liverpool needing to do a Barcelona next week to keep their Champions League charge alive.

Correct score prediction: PSG 4-1 Liverpool