Alexis Mac Allister should never have won a penalty during Liverpool‘s Champions League defeat to PSG at Anfield.

That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that referee Maurizio Mariani was deceived into pointing to the penalty spot on Tuesday, 14 April.

‘He’s their number one target’ -…

In the 64th minute, with the Reds searching for a route back into the game, Arne Slot’s No.10 threw himself to the floor under pressure from Willian Pacho, earning his side a spot-kick.

However, with the decision finally overturned following a pitch-side VAR check, Liverpool went on to lose 2-0 to PSG, but Mac Allister was allowed to remain on the pitch despite a dive.

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Alexis Mac Allister accused of diving vs PSG

Mac Allister was already on a yellow card when falling over in the penalty area, and given Hackett’s opinion on the footage, he might have been fortunate to remain on the pitch.

This is not a foul. The Liverpool player is attempting to block and then falls over to deceive the referee. He achieved that aim when the referee wrongly pointed to the penalty spot,” he said to Football Insider.

“Fortunately and rightly, VAR intervened, and the referee overturned his original decision.”

Alexis Mac Allister vs PSGStats [FotMob]Minutes played74Touches25Passing accuracy88% (15/17)Tackles1Recoveries2Ground duels won40% (2/5)Fouls committed1

It could have been a huge turning point for the Reds, but instead, it only encouraged the reigning champions to close out the game with two late goals from Ousmane Dembele.

Hugo Ekitike rubs salt into the wounds for Liverpool

As well as being knocked out of the Champions League, Arne Slot might have lost one of his most important players on a long-term basis.

Hugo Ekitike was stretchered off the pitch in the 31st minute, having fallen to the ground in pain following an inocious incident in the middle of the pitch, but it appears very serious.

Several reports believe that the Frenchman could be sidelined for as many as nine months with an Achilles injury, ruling him out of the 2026 World Cup over in America, Canada and Mexico.

Slot was already desperately upset about losing his star striker, and seeing another key decision going against the Reds only infuriated him more. Hackett believes that the right decision was reached, though

Liverpool’s 2025/26 Squad Ranked

Becoming just the fifth manager to do so, Arne Slot batted away any claims of pressure and won the Premier League title in his maiden season at Anfield.

On the surface, Liverpool’s situation appeared nothing short of sensational as the post-Jurgen Klopp era started swimmingly – but fewer than 12 months on, and the house the Dutchman put the roof on is coming down on him.

Beneath this veneer of success, a few uncertainties are simmering, threatening to overshadow the once-rosy trajectory. Liverpool are a club steeped in immense history and have always been praised for battling with the best despite not going out and splashing the cash on the biggest names on the market.

In the summer of 2025, though, they did just that. The transition has been anything but seamless, though, and their title defence has not been as simple as many assumed it would be given the calibre of talent they managed to lure to the red half of Merseyside over the summer.

Their 4-0 loss to Man City in the FA Cup, followed by a 4-0 aggregate defeat to PSG in the Champions League quarter-final, is perhaps the lowest point of Slot’s tenure so far, as the Reds have won just two of their previous eight fixtures across all competitions.

So, in the midst of all the uncertainty, GIVEMESPORT have assessed who Liverpool should keep and sell when the summer transfer window opens, and have sorted players into one of five categories. These are:

Must keep

Useful to have in the squad

Talented youngster

Jury is still out

Listen to offers

Must Keep

Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Rio Ngumoha

These players are indispensable to the way that Liverpool play, and while a rebuild at Anfield might still be needed to keep the squad fresh, there is no reason whatsoever that any of these should be sacrificed under Slot, or, whoever else may be in charge beyond this season.

Indeed, there were initial question marks over Florian Wirtz following his £114 million move last summer, but he has hit a fine run of form since November/December time, and has barely looked back since. With Mohamed Salah leaving in the next few months, the winner of the last two Bundesliga Player of the Season awards could be the perfect replacement that Liverpool could build their team around.

Three Ways Liverpool Could Line Up Next Season Without Mo Salah, ft. Four Dream Signings

His chemistry with Hugo Ekitike – having combined for six goals this term – gives the Anfield faithful every reason to believe the future of the Reds’ attack is already within the squad. Although the arrival of Alexander Isak (more on him later) from Newcastle United took most of the shine in the summer, his French counterpart has taken to life at Anfield like a duck to water. Languid yet domineering, the Frenchman has been a breath of fresh air after a summer of high-profile names have arrived and struggled to prove they were worth the massive fees spent on them.

Ryan Gravenberch, after being pushed to one side last term, also fits this narrative of players turning a corner similar to Wirtz. He’s unveiled a new version of himself this season and is now regarded as one of the very best midfielders in world football. There are still so many superlatives that could be used to describe the Dutch lynchpin – and his revival under his compatriot, Slot, has been joyous to watch, even if he has let his defensive work slip a little bit in favour of his ventures forward, meaning a new defensive midfielder is perhaps needed.

Boasting a wicked free-kick, the versatility to play in attacking midfield, central midfield, and right-back, and the consistency of his performances – Dominik Szoboszlai’s importance to Liverpool is no longer up for debate. Meanwhile, Rio Ngumoha has seen his status change from ‘talented youngster’ all the way to ‘must keep’ after his latest cameos proves he can be more unpredictable than his rivals for the left-winger role, scoring twice in the Premier League already by the tender age of just 17.

Useful to Have in the Squad

Virgil van Dijk, Conor Bradley, Alisson, Milos Kerkez

Premier League – Liverpool v Nottingham Forest – Anfield, Liverpool, Britain – November 22, 2025 Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk reacts REUTERS/Phil Noble

Here we have players who are perhaps not as indispensable as the ones in the most elite tier, but are still useful to have around the team. They are still capable players who have roles to play, but they are perhaps not as consistent, not as important, or not as available as the cream of the crop.

Alisson Becker was, until very recently, regarded as the best shot-stopper in the league, and arguments can also be made that Virgil van Dijk is still one of the best central defenders in the world. However, with the former yet again being injured until later this month, and the latter rapidly slowing down with age, now could be the perfect time for the club to accept that their salad days are over, similar to that of Salah – though they can both play roles in leading the next generation.

Conor Bradley is another who can never seem to stay fit, but is no doubt a great asset to have when he’s available. Meanwhile, Milos Kerkez can often blow hot just as much as he does cold, and that’s why he is yet to establish himself as anything beyond being useful to Slot. It still feels like he needs competition for places, but with Robertson leaving, it would be foolish for the Reds to then reconsider their stance on his long-term successor, who they only bought last summer.

Talented Youngster

Kaide Gordon, Jayden Danns, Giovanni Leoni, Trey Nyoni, Armin Pecsi, James McConnell

One of the lasting legacies that Jurgen Klopp left at Anfield is the number of talented youngsters he gave opportunities to during his spell in the dugout. Alexander-Arnold has become a world-beater under his guidance, and there are several other prodigies waiting in the wings who could become the next big thing for the Reds.

Kaide Gordon and Jayden Danns were both given chances under their departed German coach, namely in that memorable Carabao Cup final against Chelsea.

Trey Nyoni and James McConnell also both look to have a bright future, be it at Anfield or elsewhere, and they’re certainly talented. Giovanni Leoni, who is currently out with an ACL injury, also looks superb, and could help the club save some money as they look to rebuild the defence in the summer.

Whether each player will remain at Anfield next season or go out on loan again is anybody’s guess. But Liverpool should not be hasty to cash in on players who could have big futures.

Jury is Still Out

Alexander Isak, Jeremie Frimpong, Freddie Woodman, Giorgi Mamardashvili

Arriving as one of the sharpest centre-forwards in world football, there were very few people that predicted that Isak would get off to such a slow start under the guidance of Slot. He terrorised defenders throughout his spell in the northeast with Newcastle United – and when it clicks for his new club, the goals will inevitably flow.

But, for now, the big-money summer signing is still under investigation. In the case of Frimpong, he has an abundance of pace to burn and the intelligence to match – but it’s yet to click for the Dutchman either. Slot seems unsure whether he has the defensive know-how to play on the right of a back four and playing him on the wing sees his best qualities arise, but it’s not as easy as that. We’re yet to see him operate at his very best, and injuries have frequently held him back as well.

Rounding out a trio of new signing in this section is new goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardahvili. At first, he looked like a real steal as Georgia’s Euro 2024 star signed with the club from Valencia. But, so far, he’s seemed to have a tendency to make mistakes, while he has been in between the sticks for most of the Reds’ biggest defeats this term, as many Liverpool fans wonder if keeping Caoimhin Kelleher and making him the number one would have been the wiser decision.

Listen to Offers

Curtis Jones, Stefan Bajcetic, Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo

Curtis Jones is a weird one. When at his best, he exudes coolness in the engine room, and his ability to do the simple things with nigh-on perfection makes him a reliable first-team player – as proven by the fact he was keeping Alexis Mac Allister out of the team around the Christmas period. But like Giorgi Mamardshvili, their confidence (or lack thereof) can mean they become the architects of their own downfalls, though limited game time means they can’t easily be put in a more certain category of keep or sell just yet.

Alexis Mac Allister wasted little time in showing off his credentials since sealing a move from Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2023, swiftly emerging as a brilliant piece of business, which cost them £35 million, from the Merseyside outfit. His influence has somewhat waned in recent times, though, and he’s not necessarily a starter week-in week-out like he used to be, and the fact he could be shown the exit door is evidence of how much work the recruitment team still needs to do ahead of what should be another immensely busy transfer period.

Stefan Bajcetic, unfortunately, missed most of the 2023/24 season through injury, suffering a calf muscle problem early in the campaign. But he established himself as one of the most promising young players in the Premier League in the season before – and fans were excited to see what could come of the young Spaniard. He’s not lived up to expectations and should a decent offer arrive, it would be worth thinking about.

Cody Gakpo has been a scapegoat as his movement on the left flank has become all too predictable, and it’s clear the Reds need better options on the wings after they failed to replace the outgoing Luis Diaz less than a year ago. In this instance, although the Dutchman is loved by his manager, selling him to fund an upgrade could be wise.

Get Rid

Mohamed Salah, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Rhys Williams, Wataru Endo, Federico Chiesa, Calvin Ramsay

In the past, it would seem inconceivable that Ibrahima Konate would be in this category, given that he had struck up quite a partnership with Van Dijk. The pair is still among the best centre-back duos in the league right now – but his relationship with the fans has all but diminished, and he looks a shadow of his former self. Parting ways would be the best course of action for all parties after months of trying to strike a deal with Real Madrid once his contract runs out.

When Federico Chiesa made the switch from Juventus to Liverpool for a modest £14 million, becoming the Reds’ sole immediate signing in the first summer post-Klopp, many hailed it as the steal of the transfer window. The beaming smile he wore while putting pen to paper only heightened the excitement among the Anfield faithful, eager to see the Italian channel his enthusiasm for his new club into impactful displays on the pitch.

Injuries have disrupted Chiesa’s time on Merseyside, however, leaving him with very limited action to his name so far. While he became something of a super-sub last season – and again at the start of this term – fans have started to realise why his chances have been limited in recent weeks as he offers very little besides an earworm chant.



As for Mohamed Salah, there are still so many superlatives that could be used to describe the Egypt international. A total goal machine, he has been ever so important to Liverpool since his arrival in 2017 – but his Anfield career will be coming to a close this summer after he announced his departure in an emotional video. The same can be said for Andrew Robertson, who put his heart and soul into the club before calling time on his nine-year stay.

Wataru Endo may find himself a casualty of Liverpool’s growing squad depth. While the 33-year-old is a tireless warrior off the bench, doing everything in his power to help his team maintain an edge, the emergence of Gravenberch, and the possible arrival of a new defensive midfielder could diminish his importance within the squad even more.

It’s not a case of whether he’s good enough to still play for the club, as he definitely is, but it’s one of those where he’s not necessarily needed anymore. It may also be time to move on Joe Gomez if a suitable offer is made for the Englishman, who has incredibly never scored in Liverpool colours. The same can be said for Rhys Williams and Calvin Ramsay, who are both largely forgotten members of the reigning champions’ squad.

Gunners take one-goal lead back to the Emirates Stadium for quarter-final second leg

Arsenal will tonight be without key stars once again as they look to see off Sporting and reach the Champions League semi-finals.

Mikel Arteta’s side are in pole position to progress through to the last-four after a 1-0 win in Lisbon last week.

The Gunners secured that victory without Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber, and Arteta indicated that at least one of them will miss out again.

“Maybe one of them, let’s see,” Arteta said on Tuesday.

However, the Spaniard later suggested that Saka is unlikely to be involved for the first time since the international break.

“It’s something that he was carrying for a while,” Arteta said. “It was an Achilles issue.

“It’s progression but hopefully it’s going to be a matter of days and not weeks. But he has to see when the load is more how he responds to that kind of progression.”

Declan Rice is also a doubt. He missed training on Tuesday with an issue he picked up in the defeat to Bournemouth over the weekend.

However, asked what that injury was, Arteta responded: “I don’t want to do that. We have to wait and see. Obviously he wasn’t available to train.”

Eberechi Eze is now fit again after a calf injury and is pushing to come back into the starting lineup, especially with Martin Odegaard unlikely to be involved.

Kai Havertz netted a late winner is Lisbon last week but could have to settle for a place on the bench again, unless Arteta decides to drop Viktor Gyokeres to the bench against his former club.

Predicted Arsenal XI: Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Norgaard; Madueke, Eze, Martinelli; Gyokeres

Injured: Merino, Saka

Doubts: Odegaard, Calafiori, Timber, Rice

Time and date: 8pm BST on Wednesday April 15, 2026

Venue: Emirates Stadium

How to watch: TNT Sports