Liverpool pulled off a stunning victory against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night, in what can only be described as a classic case of snatch and grab.
Despite having less than 30% possession and managing just one shot on target, the Reds managed to thwart Luis Enrique’s dominant PSG side. The French team couldn’t find a way past Alisson Becker, who delivered a career-best performance with an astonishing nine saves, despite PSG’s 27 attempts on goal.
Harvey Elliott, coming off the bench late in the game, scored with his first touch after just 47 seconds, leaving PSG stunned and giving Liverpool a 1-0 lead to defend at Anfield next week. Alisson’s performance left the national media in awe as Liverpool claimed an unexpected victory in Paris.
Paul Joyce of The Times argued that ‘smash and grab’ didn’t fully capture Liverpool’s achievement as they left the Parisians shocked.
He penned: “For 86 minutes, the hosts had been both outstanding and utterly dominant, denied the breakthrough they yearned for – and deserved – only by a combination of their own wastefulness and the reflexes of Liverpool goalkeeper, Alisson.
“He made save after save after save, driving Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to distraction, in a virtuoso performance that kept his team-mates in an enthralling first leg of this Champions League round-of-16 tie. Then, just when a goalless draw would have constituted quite an outcome, substitutes Darwin Núñez and Harvey Elliott conspired to conjure an even more remarkable ending… Amid the chaos, the sound of Parisian jaws dropping could be heard. Smash and grab did not do this justice.”
The Guardian’s Andy Hunter praised Alisson’s record-breaking night in Paris, writing: “Alisson had rarely been mentioned in the story of Liverpool’s old guard rediscovering peak form and propelling Arne Slot’s team towards glory this season. One night in Paris changed that. The Liverpool goalkeeper gave the performance of a lifetime, by his own admission, to ensure Paris Saint-Germain’s dominance came to nothing. Harvey Elliott applied the écraser et attraper. That’s smash and grab, to you and me.
“Alisson produced nine saves to drive PSG to despair, a record for a Liverpool goalkeeper in a Champions League fixture and the most the Brazil international has made in any game for the club. He was even involved in the grand larceny of Elliott’s late winner, struck 47 seconds after the substitute had entered the pitch.”
Lewis Steele of the Daily Mail hailed Alisson’s performance as ‘the best individual performance of Liverpool’s season.’ He penned: “With football royalty David Beckham watching on in the stands, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson put on a show that was fit for a king. ‘I think that is the best performance of my life,’ said the Reds No 1. That is a bold call given some of the defiant displays he has put in over recent years to cement himself in the conversation for best keeper of the Premier League era.”
Jason Burt of The Telegraph hailed Liverpool’s remarkable European triumph as one of their most exceptional nights, underlining the team’s resilience and winning mentality. He detailed: “Winners find a way. Good managers make inspired substitutions. Champions hang on in there. After being completely dominated for 87 almost humiliating minutes by Paris St-Germain, after owing the goalless scoreline to a superhuman effort from their goalkeeper Alisson Becker, Liverpool somehow won..”
He went on to exalt Alisson’s pivotal role, stating: “The Brazilian faced nine shots and saved them all, but that statistic does not remotely do justice to how dominant he was. He called it the best performance of the 32-year-old’s illustrious career and no one would argue with that as he produced one of the all-time classic goalkeeping displays. It was Alisson v PSG. It was 10 out of 10. It was perfection.”
Miguel Delaney of the Independent noted that Liverpool’s win ‘defied logic’, stating: “A young Paris Saint-Germain will now only feel regret, after what must have been one of the great unfulfilled Champions League performances. It should have been one of the great performances, full-stop.
“That might instead be said of Alisson Becker, who did so much more than set the stage for impact substitute Harvey Elliott’s 87th-minute winner, or keep Liverpool in the game. He kept them from getting hammered.”
Finally, Ian Doyle of the Liverpool ECHO highlighted how Arne Slot’s strategic changes turned the tables in Paris, stunning the local crowd into silence.
“Liverpool, aided by first tactical tweaks and then switching to a box midfield after the changes from the bench, began to show some signs of attacking threat on the counter.
“And that paid dividends three minutes from time. Fittingly, it was a long punt from Alisson that caused the danger, Nunez too strong for Marquinhos and then showing presence of mind to tee up Elliott to score. Cue bedlam in the away end, silence everywhere else. Another famous Anfield European night now beckons.”
