A Liverpool victory tonight might come with a price, as Arne Slot is anxiously waiting on the fitness of five Reds players.

Here’s a paraphrased version of that text:

For Liverpool, the goal tonight is clear — secure a result against Paris Saint-Germain to book their place in the Champions League quarter-finals, even if it comes with some risks.

In the first leg, PSG controlled much of the possession, and referee Davide Massa had a relatively quiet night, issuing just 10 free kicks and one yellow card to each team. However, the fact that a Liverpool player was booked is notable, as it increases the chance of suspension for future matches.

Currently, five Liverpool players are at risk of missing the first leg of the quarter-finals if they pick up a yellow card tonight and Liverpool advance. According to UEFA’s disciplinary guidelines, players are suspended for a match after receiving three yellow cards, and then again for every additional odd-numbered card (fifth, seventh, etc.).

Alexis Mac Allister has already accumulated four yellow cards this season and served a suspension against Girona. Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson, Harvey Elliott, and Virgil van Dijk are all sitting on two cautions, meaning a booking tonight would sideline them for the next game. Additionally, six other Liverpool players have one yellow each, but Joe Gomez — one of them — is currently out with a hamstring injury.

Avoiding unnecessary yellow cards will be crucial. If Liverpool’s defense faces as much pressure as they did in Paris, manager Arne Slot may be nervously hoping that Konate, Van Dijk, and Robertson avoid cautions. With Gomez unavailable, a suspension for any center-back could leave Liverpool short of options for the quarter-finals — and we could see a partnership like Jarell Quansah and Wataru Endo if things get tight.

The ideal outcome would be to get through the match without bookings for key players. Luckily, yellow cards are wiped after the quarter-finals, so avoiding trouble tonight means some breathing space moving forward.

While it would’ve been great to be in a position to rest players tonight, after enduring 27 shots in Paris, Liverpool will be happy to have any advantage. First and foremost, though, they need to finish the job at Anfield — hopefully without losing vital players for the next stage.