Liverpool bounced around the Parisians last night in a 3-2 victory at Anfield, thanks to a late winner by Roberto Firmino.
Liverpool took on Paris Saint-Germain in what looked to be a battle of Europe’s best attacks. Both sides looking to dominate their group stage as they share similar traits in attack. The Reds were the first to draw blood as Andrew Robertson sent in a perfect cross onto the head of Sturridge, who then put it past a dazed Alphonse Aereola.
Liverpool added to their lead when former Bayern full-back Juan Bernat, tripped Wijnaldum in the box. James Milner stepped up to the spot and put the penalty past the french goalkeeper. In the 40th minute of the first half, Paris answered back with Thomas Meunier cleaning up after a offside Edinson Cavani.
The second half proceedings…
French sensation, Kylian Mbappe equalized in the 83 minute thanks to the vision of Neymar. Though in the end, it wasn’t enough to stop the substitute, Roberto Firmino to slot the game winner in the first minute of added time. PSG’s crippling defense played a poor and unstable game as it costed them the tie.
Tuchel chose to go with a different formation and placed Rabiot and Marquinhos as the holding midfielders, which in my opinion was a bad move. Moving up the field we saw Neymar playing a more central role as a CAM, and fellow winger Di Maria, playing to the left. Cavani sat up top, and often looked lonely as there wasn’t sufficient support from the midfielders. In the end, the players looked out-of-place and didn’t seem to be where they wanted to be.
Klopp’s men were able to dominate in the midfield and win the 50/50 balls. Van Dijk conducted the back-line as he usually does and was able to provide the team with the necessary aerial threat (as it was PSG’s weakness). Full-backs Robertson and Alexander Arnold, provided lovely crosses into the penalty area with perfect vision.
Tuchel must not like Anfield
After the match, the visiting manager told reporters he expected nothing less and issued the statement, “This is Anfield, this is what they do”.
https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/1042156539014991872
Second time in his visits to Anfield, the German has fallen to his fellow German with a goal in the first minute of extra time. Call it luck, call it taking your chances, Tuchel calls it Anfield.
After the other Group C result ended in a draw, Liverpool top their group with this opening victory. Out of the all the players on the pitch, James Milner was the most standout figure, and gets the TTFC’s MotM award.