Liverpool produced a remarkable performance to earn unlikely Champions League victory at Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening.
Substitute Harvey Elliott scored with his first touch three minutes from time after the Reds were indebted to one of the great goalkeeping performances from Alisson Becker to secure a 1-0 victory in the first leg of their round of 16 clash.
Alisson recognised
Elliott may have scored the winner but this was an evening all about Alisson. After the final whistle, the Brazilian’s team-mates made a point of one by one going up to embrace the goalkeeper.
And Alisson’s display also earned the accolades of some of his former professionals. As the Reds shot-stopper went to perform post-match interviews, Steve McManaman and Rio Ferdinand broke off from television duties to offer their congratulations, as did Peter Schmeichel.
Now there’s someone who knows a good performance between the sticks when he sees it.
Elliott saluted
Not that Elliott’s intervention wasn’t properly recognised. Having been sent out to warm down with the rest of the substitutes long after the final whistle, the 21-year-old was serenaded by the travelling Kop that had been kept behind inside the Parc des Princes.
The stadium, though, wasn’t quite so welcoming before the match, when the Liverpool players were jeered loudly as they stepped out for their warm-up, treatment that continued on the rare occasions the Reds had the ball during the first half.
Indeed, passions were running high for much of the game. And when Ibrahima Konate escaped a red card or conceding a potential penalty after a tangle with Bradley Barcola, fuming PSG sporting director Luis Campos was outraged in the tunnel as the teams came in at half-time to which Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk responded: “It’s not Ligue 1, bro.”
Ferdinand flummoxed
As a former Manchester United player, Ferdinand has often found it difficult to hide his old allegiances. And that came to the fore on Wednesday night when almost willing a home victory.
Working for TNT Sport, the ex-England international also berated some Liverpool and PSG players exchanging pleasantries before kick-off while stood directly behind them in the tunnel. Pretty sure they aren’t deaf, Rio.
However, Ferdinand was struck mute for a good few minutes after Elliott notched his dramatic winner. Wonder why that was.
Nunez message
Slot’s use of substitutes was influential in ultimately turning the game in Liverpool’s favour. And the instructions for one replacement were considerable, with the Reds boss seeming to take an age chatting to Darwin Nunez before the Uruguayan was thrust into action.
Given Nunez responded with an impressive showing on the left flank before his huge contribution in assisting the winner, clearly the message got home.
Mohamed Salah was also called over to the touchline during one break in play in the first half, although this was a rare night when the Egyptian King was proven a mere moral like the rest of us.
Virgil van Dijk’s eight-word response to furious PSG chief during tunnel bust-up
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk hit back at PSG chief Luis Campos in the tunnel during a half-time shouting match at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.
As the teams made their way back to the dressing room at the break, PSG were furious with Italian referee Davide Massa for failing to dismiss Ibrahima Konate. Konate appeared to nudge Bradley Barcola as he attempted to latch onto a long ball and the winger went to ground, claiming he was pushed in the back by his international team-mate.
Ref Massa ignored the incident which was also subject to a VAR review but the officials were happy to let play continue, much to the relief of Konate and Liverpool.
But PSG Football Advisor Campos, recently linked with Arsenal, let rip at the officials at the interval and could be heard shouting: “It’s a red card or a penalty, in every part of the world,” during footage released by Canal Plus.
Immediately, imperious Reds skipper Van Dijk responded, bellowing: “Come on, this is not Ligue 1 brother.”
That did not calm Campos down though as he continued to shout: “Red card or penalty, in every part of football!”
TNT Sports pundits Ally McCoist and Rio Ferdinand believed Konate was lucky to escape punishment as the ex-Manchester United defender claimed during TV commentary: “That is a foul. I think it might just be outside the box. If that is not a red card I will be amazed. It will be a shame if it does go down to 10 against 11 in that sense because you want the best players playing each other equally in the 90 minutes.”
PSG midfielder Vitinha did not want to blame the controversial decision for the result as he felt the hosts dominated the Reds and deserved to win.
He said: “The foul on Barcola? It was difficult to see. I can’t talk without seeing it and we’re not going to hide behind that.”
Konate, however, was adamant he did not foul Barcola though, telling French TV: “There was a VAR check. If there was a push, like you said, I would have been shown a red card.
“I’m telling you that there wasn’t a foul. It’s true that I am very strong but I don’t apply power, I just put my arm. If I had put a lot more power into it then we could talk about it but it was soft for me.”
Harvey Elliott’s late strike, less than a minute after entering the field, gave Liverpool a priceless 1-0 lead ahead of next week’s crunch second-leg shootout at Anfield.
