Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo demonstrated his admiration for Alisson Becker as he held the goalkeeper aloft following his heroics in the Reds’ stunning victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
The Brazilian put in a spectacular display as he faced 27 shots, making a staggering nine saves to keep a clean sheet against the odds at Parc des Princes. PSG’s final xG rating stood at 1.82 as the former Roma No. 1 shut out Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue twice, alongside stopping Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on four occasions.
After the hosts dominated proceedings in the preceding 87 minutes of play, substitute Harvey Elliott broke Parisian hearts as he snatched what proved to be a late winner. Having been introduced by Arne Slot just 47 seconds prior, the youngster latched onto a through ball from fellow substitute Darwin Nunez to dispatch a left-footed effort past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Alisson, it should be noted, had played a crucial role in the goal with his long-range pass, which found Nunez in the build-up. Despite reinforcement Elliott having grabbed the headlines with his dramatic strike just minutes from time in the French capital, Alisson’s masterclass ultimately earned him the Man of the Match honors.
Teammate Gakpo was among those who made sure to show their appreciation for the Brazil international following his titanic performance at Parc des Princes. Despite watching the game as a spectator as he continues his comeback from injury, he was spotted lifting the goalkeeper aloft after the final whistle.
Following on from this, Alisson described his performance as “probably [the best] of my life”, adding: “The manager told us how hard it would be and we had to be ready to suffer. They have so much quality. We gave away so many chances but in the end with Harvey coming in and scoring the goal, it’s unbelievable. A great story. A great night.
“The manager told us how hard it would be and we had to be ready to suffer. They have so much quality. We gave away so many chances but in the end with Harvey coming in and scoring the goal, it’s unbelievable. A great story. A great night.”
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The adoration for Alisson within the Reds locker room was plain to see as head coach Slot joined Gakpo in hailing the hero of the hour. Speaking after the victory was confirmed, he asserted: “I don’t think I’ve worked with a goalkeeper at this level – he is the best in the world. He showed that today.”
: “He’s [Alisson] the best in the world. He shows it every game, keeping us in so many games. Tonight was my opportunity to repay him. Without him, I don’t know where we’d be. Hopefully he can keep keeping them out and we can keep finishing chances.”
Meanwhile, Anfield icon Jamie Carragher praised Alisson’s showing on CBS Sports Golazo, saying: “The last time Liverpool won this competition, Alisson Becker made a save against Napoli in the last group game of the group stage. Liverpool could have gone out had Napoli had scored. That is always looked back on as a defining moment.
“That wasn’t a save tonight. That was arguably the greatest performance of his career, certainly in a Liverpool shirt. And if Liverpool go on to win this competition – which they have a good chance of, they’re a lot better than what we saw tonight – then that performance will be remembered for years to come.”
