PARC DE PRINCES, PARIS // Liverpool somehow won 1-0 against PSG in the Champions League when only the brilliance of Alisson Becker had thwarted Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele.
Kvaratskhelia thought he had opened the scoring in the first half but was pulled back for the narrowest of offsides. The only reason it was goalless at the break was the superb shot-stopping ability on display from Alisson.
In the second half, the Brazilian’s form had to continue. PSG ended up having more than 25 shots in total but it failed to make the breakthrough. Harvey Elliott then came off the bench to nick one late in the day.
Winners
Alisson Becker is the best goalkeeper in the world and he showed that here. The Brazilian was in sensational form when it came to his shot-stopping and some of his distribution was unbelievable.
Of the starters, he was the only one who stood out from the visiting team with PSG winning plenty of duels across the rest of the field. And then Elliott stepped up to make the most of it. It was smash and grab, sure, but made possible by the performance of a lifetime.
Losers
Andy Robertson really struggled against the lively PSG attackers but Luis Diaz didn’t do much to help him out. Diogo Jota, too, needed to do much in terms of holding the ball up. As it was, Alisson’s goal was peppered with shots because PSG was dominating and sending wave after wave of attack forward. It was backs to the wall, but it didn’t need to be as much as it was. That will be the lesson Liverpool learns ahead of the second leg.
Player ratings
Alisson Becker (10). Some of his distribution was unbelievably good. Some of his saves were out of this world. Alisson is the reason the tie is still alive heading into the second leg, even though Liverpool won. A stunning performance.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (7). He tucked in and defended well in the main but was unable to do much going forward. It wasn’t the kind of game that brings the best out of him but he did brilliantly in one-vs-ones time and time again.
Ibrahima Konate (6). Back in his homeland, the Frenchman would have been keen to make an impression. He was fortunate not to be sent off when he pushed Bradley Barcola in the back. Had the referee given it on-field, it wouldn’t have been overturned. Having gotten away with it, though, he put in some superb blocks.
Virgil van Dijk (6). Gave the ball away dangerously early in the game and was caught out of position a couple of times, which was odd. Often went long to try and outdo the PSG press rather than try and pass short, but the ball kept coming back.
Andy Robertson (5). Up against Kvaratskhelia and Dembele, it was a really difficult game for the full-back. In front of him, Diaz wasn’t giving much support and his opponents were exceptional, but he struggled to keep up.
Ryan Gravenberch (6). The Dutchman started brilliantly but then found it tougher. The whole Liverpool midfield was struggling to match their PSG counterparts and they needed to keep possession better.
Alexis Mac Allister (6). Like Gravenberch, Mac Allister did his best in the middle of the field but was unable to really exert his influence on the game. He battled, and he will know he has been in a real fight.
Dominik Szoboszlai (6). It goes without saying that he got through plenty of running. On the ball, though, he wasn’t given the chance to do a great deal.
Mohamed Salah (5). Nuno Mendes is the kind of full-back who can take a chance at times defensively, but he didn’t here. The PSG left-back was excellent and when Salah did get some space, he didn’t make the most of it.
Diogo Jota (5). He looked out of position a few times and didn’t get much change from the PSG center-backs. Liverpool could have done with someone who was able to hold up play better.
Luis Diaz (5). Offering little in the way of defensive help and failing to hold the ball up for long, it wasn’t his best outing. He gave away a couple of daft fouls and wasn’t at his sharpest going forward.
Substitutes
Darwin Nunez (7). Sent on to run in behind the PSG defense but he didn’t have many chances to do so. Made the wrong decision when he could have played in Alexander-Arnold but the right one to set up the winner. Clattered into Gianluigi Donnarumma when the ball was there to be won.
Curtis Jones (7). Brought on to keep the ball better than Diaz, the Liverpool midfielder did do that. He is excellent at taking the sting out of a game and in hindsight should probably have started.
Wataru Endo (7). The kind of game that suits him. He was willing to put his body on the line and put in a couple of vital tackles as the clock continued to tick down.
Harvey Elliott (7). He was on for only 47 seconds when he opened the scoring. Smash. And. Grab.
