Pundits claim Liverpool are now ‘underdogs’ for Merseyside derby

Liverpool face Everton in a Merseyside derby this weekend as the battle for European football heats up (Getty)

Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler has claimed that Liverpool could be underdogs for this weekend’s Merseyside derby against Everton after the Reds were dumped out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain.

Arne Slot’s side were hoping for a historic European comeback as they welcomed PSG trailing 2-0 from the first leg, but instead they offered up another disjointed performance as a brace from Ousmane Dembele sent the holders through 4-0 on aggregate.

It means the Reds have lost four of their last five games in all competitions following the 4-0 demolition at the hands of Manchester City in the FA Cup and the loss to Brighton in the league before the international break.

And there is now even more jeopardy in each remaining match of the Premier League season, with the Reds sitting in fifth as they look to earn a top-five finish to return to the Champions League next season.

Liverpool have now lost four of their last five games in all competitions (Getty)

Slot’s men have six games left of the domestic season and the first one comes this weekend in a Merseyside derby, though Fowler and former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney think that the champions could be “underdogs” heading into that game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

“Obviously the form in the last month, I know the Galatasaray [win was] a great result but I don’t think Galatasaray are great, so they've been turned over by Brighton, beat by Man City. I think Liverpool go into this game as probably underdogs,” said Fowler on Amazon Prime Video after the full-time whistle at Anfield.

“It's the first time in a long time I've spoke to so of many friends who are Liverpool fans and they’re a little bit worried about the Merseyside derby,” explained Rooney.

“We've seen this Liverpool team all season not give as much as they can, I believe. And I think this derby game has come at the wrong time for Liverpool,” he added.

The Merseyside derby takes place on Sunday, 19 April at the Hill Dickinson Stadium (Getty)

Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge disagreed, hitting back: “Let's not try and make out like now all of a sudden Everton are in a good moment, now Liverpool are underdogs.

“I know we're talking about pressure and stuff, but for games like that you don't need anything extra,” said the former England international.

Liverpool sit just four points ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea going into the final six games of the season, and a win for Everton would take the Toffees within two points of their fierce rivals.

And if that wasn’t enough, Liverpool still have to play each of their main rivals in the battle for top five. The Reds will face Manchester United away on 3 May before welcoming Chelsea to Anfield on 9 May and then facing Aston Villa away around a week later on the weekend of 17 May.