Slot reveals what he told Elliott after goal vs PSG… and calls Alisson ‘best in the world’

Arne Slot has explained what he told Harvey Elliott after Liverpool won at PSG in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 – and praised goalkeeper Alisson as the world’s best.

Elliott scored the 87th-minute winner within seconds of coming on and Alisson produced an outstanding performance as the Reds established an advantage despite a dominant display by the Ligue 1 leaders.

“I said to Harvey after the game, ‘I assume you are quite frustrated with me because you are hardly playing and you are only playing for five minutes again tonight,’” Slot said, adding that fellow substitute Darwin Nunez, who teed up Elliott to fire in, and been “in a difficult place” after recent performances but had proven “how important he can be”.

“It’s not only a compliment to them; it’s also a compliment to our staff… they always find the great exercises and they keep going.

“It’s a big compliment to the players as well that they want to be there for the team if needed, and they showed up today.”

86′ Elliott is subbed on
87′ Elliott scores

Liverpool score with their second shot of the game. Impact 🧠 pic.twitter.com/0zQ4nlQfML

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 5, 2025

Slot: Win vs PSG ‘more than we deserved’

Alisson made exceptional saves to deny Ousmane Dembele in a one-on-one and thwart Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on more than one occasion.

The Brazil international now has three straight clean sheets after Liverpool’s 2-0 league wins over Manchester City and Newcastle.

“I don’t think I’ve worked with a goalkeeper at [his] level, which is normal because he’s the best in the world,” said Slot, speaking to TNT Sports.

“I’ve had some very good players, but never the best in the world. He showed that today. We had to defend so much and normally you come away with a 1-0 loss, or 2-0 or 3-0. To go away with a win was probably a bit more than we deserved.”

On the 25th January, Harvey Elliott ruled out a move away from Liverpool despite a lack of gametime:

💬 “I am not leaving. This is my team and my club.”

He’s just scored the winner at the Parc des Princes. Starboy ⭐ pic.twitter.com/Xw4S7VitLm

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 5, 2025

Liverpool vs PSG

The return match takes place at Anfield on Tuesday (8pm GMT), with the winners facing Club Brugge or Aston Villa in the quarter-finals.

An all-Premier League tie is more likely in the final eight after the Villans established a 3-1 lead in their away first leg against Brugge on Tuesday.

Liverpool are next in action at home to the bottom side in the Premier League, Southampton, on Saturday (3pm GMT), while Paris’ Ligue 1 game at Rennes starts an hour later.