Paris St Germain 2-1 Liverpool: Reds need Anfield victory to progress

Champions League Group Stage Game 5
Wednesday 28 November 2018 - 8:00 pm
Paris
PSG2
1Liverpool
Show Match Events
⚽️ Bernat13'
17' Wijnaldum
Verratti25'
⚽️ Neymar37'
45'Milner ⚽️
Cavani off, Choupo-Moting on ↔️65'
Di Maria off, Alves on ↔️65'
66'↔️ Wijnaldum off, Keïta on
71'↔️ Firmino off, Sturridge on
77'↔️ Milner off, Shaqiri on
84' Sturridge
Mbappé off, Rabiot on ↔️85'
90' Keïta
90' van Dijk
90' Robertson
Possession %
4357
Total Shots
128
Shots on Target
81
Shots Blocked
23
Offside
51
Hide Match Events

Liverpool must win, and get the calculators out, in the final group game at Anfield to progress from Group C in the Champions League.

The reds were of course third seeds in the group behind PSG and Napoli.  Liverpool led the group after week 1 but have now slipped into the natural third ranking position in the group.

Napoli, leading the group on 9 points are not yet securely through to the next stage.

So (assuming that PSG beat Red Star away from home - Liverpool didn't) then Liverpool will go through if they beat Napoli either 1-0 or by 2 clear goals.  A 2-1, 3-2 etc result will put Napoli and PSG into the next round.

Team news

Liverpool might be flying high in the Premier League but they had lost their previous 2 away games in the group.  Joe Gomez replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold at right back, whilst James Milner came in for Xherdan Shaqiri in the centre of the park.

From the first whistle, Neymar, Mbappe and co were flying.  Pumped up by the crowd - they had to get a result to stay in the competition.

Liverpool failed to settle anywhere near well enough and after a few early chances Bernat had freedom inside the penalty area to drill in after just 13 minutes.

Midway through the half Marco Verratti was lucky to avoid a red card for a studs high challenge on Joe Gomez.  The Liverpool player was straight back on his feet.  You do wonder if a similar foul had gone on the playacting Neymar or Silva what the result would have been.

As it happened: PSG 2-1 LFC

In the 36th minute, Neymar slotted in from close range after Mbappe had powered past Gomez on the wing.  Alisson had beaten his cross away but only into the path of the Brazilian who tapped in.

But Liverpool rallied and in the 44th minute Sadio Mane was brought down by a silly Di Maria challenge.  Bizarrely the referee initially awarded a corner - the assistant behind the goal quickly correcting the referee's dire decision and the penalty being awarded.

James Milner stepped up, despite the PSG players and fans best attempts to put him off, and sent Gianluigi Buffon the wrong way.

An important goal just before half time.

Second half

Surprisingly no half time changes considering Liverpool's misfiring midfield.

Paris thought they had made it 3-1 within minutes, but Marquinho was judged offside.  He had the final touch on a Neymar free kick that really shouldn't have made it's way through our defence.

Liverpool did show glimpses of an improvement in the second half.

Sturridge, Keita and Shaqiri all came on but their substitutions were spread over a 10 minute period - stifling vital time for the reds to go for an equaliser.

The quality in the final third just wasn't there and in PSG's defence, despite their ridiculous play-acting, they had to make a number of important blocks to deny the reds.

The home side celebrated at the final whistle knowing they had pretty much ensured qualification.

Liverpool now return to the ground they have come to rely on in European football and must beat Napoli by the required scorelines.

Next up for Liverpool - the Merseyside derby at home.

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