'I saw a different Liverpool against PSG but I'm still worried about Merseyside derby'

Liverpool showed real improvement in their Champions League exit against Paris Saint-Germain, but the real test comes in delivering the consistency which has been lacking for much of this season. That’s according to former Reds defender Dominic Matteo , who recognises the challenge up ahead as his old employers prepare for a crunch Merseyside Derby.

For a second year in a row, Arne Slot has seen his team eliminated from Europe by PSG . This time, Liverpool were beaten 2-0 in the first leg at the Parc des Princes but were clearly up for the return game at Anfield only to miss some presentable chances before Ousmane Dembele ended their hopes with a late brace.

There’s no time for the reigning Premier League champions to rest on their laurels. Fierce rivals Everton are next up, and Slot’s team could see the gap to their neighbours drop to just two points in the race for Champions League qualification.

“I just thought there were some really good signs in that game and the fans were noisy,” Matteo told Mirror Football via BetSelect.co.uk : “But I also think that even [Mohamed] Salah looked sharper, I think everyone seemed to be more at it. Even [Ibrahima] Konate, who hasn't been brilliant this year defensively.

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He continued: “Sometimes when you're playing a team like that, like Paris, if you don't take your chances eventually, they will get a few, and they did. And then they punished us.

“So I think there's that kind of level, but I did see a better performance, a more grounded performance and you could even see in the manager's face, that obviously they've lost and they're gutted and they're out of the Champions League in the quarters, but there were signs that there was a little bit of improvement in that last game.

“The only thing we haven't been is consistent. We've won games when we haven't played brilliantly, which you have to do as a footballer and as a team. But I just think all season, we haven't been consistent, and anyone knows if you're a club like a Liverpool, if you're not consistent, eventually you do get found out.”

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Matteo doesn’t expect Liverpool to have much trouble getting themselves up for a derby in a broad sense. However, he does recognise it’s easier to motivate yourself for a big European game under the lights than for some of the routine weekend kick-offs in the league.

“I can say that as an ex-player, it was much easier to get up for big European games than it was for a game on a normal Saturday at 3 O'clock,” he added. “It shouldn't be [but] I really have a feeling about that.

“The atmosphere always helps that because, you know, even at Anfield on a normal game on a Saturday at 3 O'clock, you're not going to get the same atmosphere as you're going to get on a Tuesday or Wednesday night at Anfield under the lights. That's just the way football is.

Not only that but he expects far more pressure to be on Slot than on opposite number David Moyes . Going into the meeting at Hill Dickinson Stadium, the hosts are the better-placed of the two sides when it comes to meeting this season’s expectations though Liverpool can still rescue something from their season by securing the top-five finish they need for Champions League qualification.

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Liverpool won 2-1 when the teams met at Anfield in September to sit top of the league with maximum points from their first five games. They haven’t won more than three in a row since, though, and will be up against it as they take on an Everton side coming off back-to-back wins at their new home.

Matteo anticipates the game coming down to one-vs-one battles, as is often the case with derby matches. And this is where he fears for his former club.

“It's all about winning your personal battles all over the pitch, and I don't think we've done enough of that,” he said. “I think Everton have won a lot of personal battles and are maybe a little bit more determined to defend.

“With [James] Tarkowski, people like that, they've got a few leaders in there. They've got a few voices. I know Virgil [van Dijk] is a big leader for us, but I want the other lads to lead by example as well. In a derby game, you need that.

“Going from my own experience, you've always had four or five lads who are always very vocal going into a derby game. I think looking at Everton, they might be a little bit more vocal, and we've got to make sure we are [too] and give the Liverpool fans what they want.

“Because the season's kind of well, it's gone, really, hasn't it? It's just about trying to get into Europe now.”

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