Hugo Ekitike snubbed as Theo Walcott names the 5 Liverpool players who are good enough to start for PSG
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Liverpool are once again set to face off with a PSG side they have struggled to overcome in recent years.After knocking the Reds out of the Champions League last season, the Ligue 1 champions picked up a 2-0 win in their first-leg meeting last week.Liverpool and PSG face off again on Tuesday evening, and Arne Slot’s men have all the work to do. Yet, despite being bested in recent matches, Theo Walcott still thinks Giorgi Mamardashvili, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai are good enough to start for PSG.
No Rio… Is this the strongest XI Slot can put out? 🤔 Liverpool vs PSG predicted XI Hugo Ekitike snubbed in Theo Walcott’s combined Liverpool and PSG XIAhead of the second-leg fixture taking place, the former Everton and Arsenal winger was asked to pick his combined PSG and Liverpool side when speaking to Amazon.Interestingly, former Reds target Willian Pacho was snubbed in favour of Konate, who was poor in the last fixture between the two teams.Alexis Mac Allister was another somewhat surprising inclusion, given his form has been mixed in 2025/26.Meanwhile, none of Liverpool’s current attackers were named in Walcott’s XI, though he did give a special mention to Hugo Ekitike before he was quickly snubbed in favour of Ousmane Dembele.He said: “I love a bit of Ekitike, but Ballon d’Or winner, it’s got to be Dembele.” PICK YOUR DREAM FRONT THREE 👀 Two sides stacked with attacking firepower 🔥 Photo by MB Media/Getty Images Why Hugo Ekitike struggled at PSGOf course, Ekitike may well have been lining up for the opposition on Tuesday evening had things worked out differently.The striker previously held a spell in Paris but struggled once Luis Enrique became manager in 2023.Ekitike opened up on his issues with PSG during an interview in March 2025.He said: “I will never say that I did everything well. I could have done better, that’s the truth, but no one helped me to do better.“No one gave me confidence.
Even during training, even through discussions. No one ever really took the time to talk with me to be able to help me.”Liverpool are likely somewhat glad Enrique was not able to get the best out of the Frenchman, as he now sits as their top goalscorer in all competitions this season.But Ekitike might have some concerns about the PSG manager moving to Anfield at some point in the future, given that things did not work out between the pair previously.Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox