PSG vs Liverpool LIVE: Champions League result and reaction as Harvey Elliott snatches late winner
PSG 0-1 Liverpool: Elliott scores late on to give Liverpool a vital first-leg victory
Liverpool beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, with Alisson producing a man-of-the-match performance in Paris.
The visitors were under pressure early on as PSG started the brighter of the two, and the hosts thought they were ahead on 21 minutes as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia curled in, only for VAR to disallow it for offside.
But PSG came again in a frantic first half, with Joao Neves and Kvaratskhelia going close while Ibrahima Konate was arguably fortunate to avoid a red card for bringing down Bradley Barcola when the youngster was 1-v-1.
The second half started in much the same way as the hosts piled on the pressure, but Liverpool – and particularly Alisson – were equal to it as they defied wave after wave of PSG attacks.
And their resilience paid off in the end as Harvey Elliott – brought on just 47 seconds earlier – curled in from Darwin Nunez’s pass to give the Reds a huge advantage to take to Anfield.
Follow all the Champions League action with our live blog below:
For Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, Liverpool’s famous full-back duo, this might be the last dance
It isn’t why Liverpool’s last trip to Paris tends to be remembered, but it brought a minor slice of history for Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson. In the 21st century – and indeed, since the heyday of Paolo Maldini and Mauro Tassotti, the men on the sides of perhaps the most famous back four of all – only two full-back partnerships have started three Champions League finals together.
No prizes for guessing that the Real Madrid double act of Dani Carvajal and Marcelo were the first. The Liverpool duo are the second, which would have felt utterly improbable even a year before they lined up against Carvajal and Marcelo in Kyiv in 2018. Rewind to 2017 and Robertson was being relegated with Hull, Alexander-Arnold a veteran of just two Premier League starts.
Fast forward a year and, in defeat to Real, Robertson was one of Liverpool’s finest players. A further year on, and it was Alexander-Arnold’s “genius moment”, to quote Jurgen Klopp on the night itself, that took Liverpool to Madrid.
For Liverpool’s famous full-back duo, this might be the last dance
Match facts
PSG are on a five-game win streak in the UEFA Champions League, scoring 21 goals and only conceding three times in this run. They last won six in a row in the competition in the 1994-95 campaign.
Liverpool have lost each of their last three games in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, although all three of those have been against Real Madrid (2021-22 final and home/away in 2022-23 last 16).
Liverpool, beware: How PSG discarded ‘bling-bling’ to become a serious Champions League force
In Liverpool’s preparations for Paris Saint-Germain, the staff have already come across quite a difference to their last meetings, in the 2018-19 group stage. The French champions are now a team that come at you with everything. They are stripped down and lean, brimming with youthful energy like that of French winger Bradley Barcola. Even Ousmane Dembele, once as unfortunate a symbol of football’s excess as Neymar, isn’t wasting anything.
That marks quite a difference to when Thomas Tuchel stood in the Anfield dressing room in September 2018, and has since told people he couldn’t believe what he heard. As detailed in this writer’s book ‘States of Play’, the German tried to exhort his €600m team to just run more, only to receive the response “why?”
How PSG discarded ‘bling-bling’ to become a serious Champions League force
PSG hunting a first Champions League title
PSG are still looking for their first Champions League trophy, having come closest in 2020 when they were beaten 1-0 by Bayern Munich in a re-arranged final (due to Covid).
The Parisian side were only founded in 1970, and their European honours include the Intertoto Cup in 2001 and the Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup in 1996.
PSG team news
For PSG, Luis Enrique has made three changes to the side that beat Lille 4-1 at the weekend.
In defence, Willian Pacho comes in for Lucas Beraldo, while in midfield, Vitinha replaces Desire Doue.
In the attacking positions, Ousmane Dembele leads the line while Goncalo Ramos drops out for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
PSG line-up
PSG XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Barcola.
Subs: Safonov, Tenas, Kimpembe, Goncalo Ramos, Doue, Lee, Hernandez, Mayulu, Zaire Emery, Lucas Beraldo, Mbaye.
Team news
Arne Slot has made just one change from the side that beat Newcastle 2-0 last time out, with Andy Robertson replacing Kostas Tsimikas at left-back.
Luis Diaz starts on the left wing, with Diogo Jota leading the line as expected due to the poor form of Darwin Nunez.
Line-ups
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Jota.
Subs: Jaros, Kelleher, Endo, Nunez, Chiesa, Jones, Elliott, Tsimikas, McConnell, Quansah, Nyoni.
Team news
The line-ups should be released in the next five minutes, so here’s a reminder of the early team news.
PSG have a fully fit squad with no reported injury concerns. Warren Zaire-Emery has recently returned from an ankle injury and could replace Desire Doue in midfied, but Vitinha is more likely to start.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia may return to the side with the in-form Ousmane Dembele returning to the central striker position and the dangerous Bradley Barcola taking up the other flank.
Cody Gakpo is a major doubt for Liverpool after picking up a knock on Tuesday, although the forward has travelled to Paris as part of the squad.
Arne Slot may use Diogo Jota or Darwin Nunez, or prefer to use Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai as ‘false-nines’ as he did against Manchester City. Liverpool can pick their strongest defence and midfield, but Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez are out.
Liverpool bidding for a seventh European Cup
Liverpool are among the favourites for the Champions League this year as they look to win a seventh European Cup.
The Reds are the most successful English club in the competition’s history, with three more titles than nearest challenger Manchester United.
And they are among the most successful clubs in Europe overall, with their six titles equalled by Bayern Munich and only bettered by AC Milan (7) and Real Madrid (15).
Liverpool last won the competition in 2019 when they beat Spurs 2-0, though they were losing finalists in 2018 and 2022. On both occasions, they were beaten by Real Madrid.
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