Top of the Champions League in January, out by mid-March – Liverpool were sent out of Europe by Paris St-Germain in a penalty shoot-out at the wrong end of Anfield and with many of the wrong penalties too.
At the end of a high-quality 120 minutes, in which Ousmane Dembélé levelled the tie, PSG won the toss and took Liverpool down to the Anfield Road end where the visitors had their supporters, and away from the Kop. It came down to who might blink first. That was, in the end, Darwin Núñez and Curtis Jones, both of them having penalties saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma, the scourge of England at Euro 2020. Liverpool, the dominant European team of the autumn and winter Champions League went out in the last 16.
The runaway Premier League leaders could not in the end see off the runaway French league leaders. This young PSG side had taken Liverpool to the limit in the first half. Then Arne Slot’s team came back at them in the second but they could not find the decisive goal that would steer the tie back in their direction.
A game on a knife-edge albeit the blade so often turned on Liverpool on the counterattack. They committed to the press at all times, often half a dozen red shirts pushing into the blue shirts, and so that meant that there would be space behind.
This is a superb PSG team, and nowhere more so than its attacking three, comprising as it does a range of dashing forwards. Bradley Barcola and Dembele have pace on a level where only a defender of Virgil van Dijk’s quality feels enough. His great sense of positioning compensated when necessary. On the left wing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia faced up to Trent Alexander-Arnold in what was a brilliant duel of two players who both seem counter-intuitive for their positions. Later in extra-time the defender Ibrahima Konate would also have to come hobbling off. It had become a costly night for Liverpool in that respect.
It was the other side from which the PSG goal came on 12 minutes, when PSG broke the Liverpool line and Dembele dispatched a ball into the inside right channel for Barcola to pursue on the far side of Andrew Robertson. This time it was not the pace of Barcola to which the Scot was subjected. Instead Barcola cut back in and played the ball into the near post with his right foot. Dembele had accelerated on the blindside of Konate who extended to stop the cross but succeeded only in taking it past Alisson.
With both grounded, Dembele could burst past defender and goalkeeper and nudge the ball into the goal. Konate’s error was the only significant misjudgement – unfortunate in the circumstances – in a first half of such well grooved passing that so little was left to chance.
Mohamed Salah did get past Nuno Mendes in the sixth minute, drawing the fine young Portuguese full-back in and then jinking past him on the halfway line. But Mendes was not about to let that happen again. Which is not to say there were no chances. Alexis Mac Allister burst through the PSG defensive line as early as the fourth minute although his cutback to Salah felt a little too deliberate. In a game in which so much flowed effortlessly, that pass was just off the beat and Salah’s shot was blocked by Mendes’ thigh.
Salah had failed to shape his left foot shot inside the far post on that one occasion when he got away from Mendes in the first half. In fact, the chances for Liverpool ebbed after their early pressure and as half-time drew close it felt like PSG had it under control. A fine midfield performance from little Vitinha, chopping and changing the angle of attack and the safety valve for any possession pressure PSG felt in the middle third of the pitch.
A blizzard of pressure up to the hour from Liverpool. Two shots in quick succession from Alexander-Arnold, one straight of the centre of the bat which Donnarumma stopped and then a follow-up that clipped the inside of the Italian’s post. By the end of those frenetic few seconds Alexander-Arnold had crossed for Dominic Szoboszlai to finish and then it turned out the Hungarian had been offside at the start of the sequence.
But it gave Liverpool energy and there was more to come. Another Szoboszlai shot. A big hand from Donnarumma stopping Diaz’s header. Alexander-Arnold was into the game and PSG’s attackers were in abeyance to the extent that Barcola was soon off. In midfield Mac Allister hit his stride. But around 70 minutes Alexander-Arnold fell awkwardly by the touchline, his right ankle twisting underneath him and he was off. His replacement Jarell Quansah would clip the inside of Donnarumma’s post again with a header from Robertson’s left-sided free-kick.
Liverpool were on top in the game and PSG could not run the midfield in the way they had done in the latter stage of the first half. Yet the big moment was just beyond them and the two sides reconvened for another 30 minutes.
11:21 PM GMT
And finally Andy Robertson
We got the win last week without playing our best. We played better today but that’s football. When it goes to penalties it is always a lottery. I’m proud of the players.
For finishing top of the group, we got the toughest tie. PSG are a fantastic team, they have threats all over the pitch. But it wasn’t meant to be. We have a cup final on Sunday and then the Premier League push after the international break.
11:20 PM GMT
Luis Enrique on PSG’s victory
It does not matter if we deserve the win. I think both teams deserved to go through. We were better in Paris and they were better here. My team showed great personality and character at Anfield. The atmosphere was great and it was tough.
When the draw came out as Liverpool v PSG, both managers thought the same: one of the best games you can watch in Europe.
The Champions League has nothing to do with consistency. You have to be great in moments. We suffered a lot. They suffered a lot. At the end football will take something but then give you something.
11:05 PM GMT
Arne Slot speaks to Amazon Prime
I think it was the best game of football I’ve ever been involved in. Incredible performance compared with last week. In the first 25 minutes we created chance after chance but maybe we ran out of luck after last week.
After 90 minutes it felt to me we deserved more than being 1-0 down. We played the perfect game apart from scoring goals, like PSG did last week. In extra-time maybe they were a bit stronger. In the first 25 minutes I’ve never seen them as aggressive as they were today but you look at the scoreboard and you’re 1-0 down.
We as Dutch know how to lose penalties! Everybody should be disappointed but I know these players and they are so resilient. We would have hoped to have a draw after 90 minutes at least but it came down to penalties.
Feels a bit unfair to go out in this round already – to win the group and then play a team as strong as PSG.
We now know what we have to do, win the final and nine league games.
[Do you think that it might be the last Champions League night in these colours for Virgil, Trent and Mo?] That’s the last thing I’m thinking about [laughs] and it’s creative to come up with a question about the contract situation.
10:59 PM GMT
Here’s the Jones save
10:54 PM GMT
Virgil van Dijk speaks to Amazon Prime
A very intense, great game, I think. Unfortunately we’re out on penalties. We created dangerous moments in both halves but it comes down to penalties. I said it’s part of football. You can be disappointed but chin up, get ready for the next challenge and it’s a beautiful one in the final on Sunday. We always knew when the draw came that it was going to be difficult. We struggled in Paris but we won and were much better tonight. We struggled in the one v one marking in Paris. Today from the first second until fatigue kicks in for both sides in extra time I think we [played] a very good game. We have to focus on recovery then get ready for a very good Newcastle side on Sunday.
10:50 PM GMT
PSG through
And join Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Inter in the last eight.
10:44 PM GMT
Nunez and Jones thwarted
But I think you can have some sympathy for the takers. Donnarumma is a beast in size but so quick off his feet.
10:43 PM GMT
Liverpool are out of Europe
PSG did just what Luis Enrique said they would and won at Anfield. They head into the quarter-finals to play Villa or PSG.
10:42 PM GMT
Shootout: PSG 4 Liverpool 1
Doué scores top left.
PSG are through 4-1 on pens.
10:41 PM GMT
Shootout: PSG 3 Liverpool 1
Curtis Jones.
Saved! Excellent save low to his right.
PSG can win it with the next kick.
10:40 PM GMT
Shootout: PSG 3 Liverpool 1
Dembélé scores top right.
10:40 PM GMT
Shootout: PSG 2 Liverpool 1
Nunez steps up.
Saved! Bottom right. Not quite in the corner.
10:39 PM GMT
Shootout: PSG 2 Liverpool 1
Ramos, only just on.
Scores bottom left.
10:38 PM GMT
Shootout: PSG 1 Liverpool 1
Salah scores, top left.
10:37 PM GMT
Shootout: PSG 1 Liverpool 0
Scores, sneakily to the keeper’s left.
10:36 PM GMT
Vitinha to go first
He stands outside the box while the referee talks to the two keepers.
10:36 PM GMT
PSG have won the toss to choose ends and they won’t be in front of the Kop
And PSG will also take the first pen.
10:34 PM GMT
Gabriel Clarke tells us
Liverpool have won 20 of 27 penalty shootouts.
And so it comes down to Alisson v Donnarumma. The Italian knows all about winning penalty shoot-outs in England, of course. Liverpool will hope their number one has the mental edge over PSG given his form over both legs.
10:33 PM GMT
Full time: Liverpool 0 PSG 1 (1-1 on aggregate)
Ramos → Joao Neves with a minute of stoppage time toc ome, to take a penalty. But PSG have a corner which they use cautiously and the referee blows for time.
10:31 PM GMT
120 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
PSG are camped outside the Liverpool box, pinging passes around until they try to knock it down the inside-right channel but overcook it.
10:29 PM GMT
119 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Lee cuts in off the right wing to shoot low with his left from 20 yards. It’s too tame though and no danger to Alisson.
10:28 PM GMT
117 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Pacho ultimately keeps his calm after a moment of dithering when Robertson launches a 50-yard pass for Nunez to chase. He manages to step ahead and shield it enough to turn and clear.
10:27 PM GMT
116 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Salah goes down in the box again when Mendes puts up his hand and catches him across the mooey. The ref waves play on and PSG counter at pace, teeing up Lee to shoot straight at Alisson from 25 yards.
10:25 PM GMT
115 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Doué shoots past the post with his right from the left of the D having tacked in from the left wing, trying to whip it around Elliott and Van Dijk and use them as training ground mannequins.
10:24 PM GMT
113 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Salah is fouled on halfway by Nuno Mendes but Liverpool play it backwards from the free-kick and lose it when they try to switch it forward.
10:22 PM GMT
111 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Konaté is in trouble, limping and now sits down. He signals that he needs to come off before the physio gets there. As he walks off he tries to gee up the crowd by raising both arms as if conducting them.
Endo → Konaté.
10:21 PM GMT
109 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Yet another tungsten-wristed, world class save from Alisson diving to his left to turn away a Dembélé bending shot destined for the bottom right corner.
10:19 PM GMT
107 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Salah caught on his toes as Zaire-Emery snaps on to a pass up to him and triggers a counter that ends with a blocked Hakimi shot followed by Lee’s daisycutter that Alisson dives to gather.
10:17 PM GMT
106 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Elliott finally arrives. Can he keep his reputation as the modern day supersub.
10:16 PM GMT
Extra time half-time: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
It has been cagier in extra time understandably, Liverpool’s momentum in the second half drifting away as tiredness hits both sides.
Elliott → Szobiszlai.
10:14 PM GMT
105+1 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Gakpo swings the corner right under the crossbar at the back post. Donnarumma punches it and is given a free-kick because Quansah and Van Dijk then clatter into him.
10:13 PM GMT
105 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Liverpool corner when Lee lets a ball run out for what he thought would be a goal-kick, not having seen that it nicked off Hakimi.
10:11 PM GMT
104 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Van Dijk tries to give Gakpo a run in behind with a 60-yard pass down the left that sails out for a throw.
10:11 PM GMT
102 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Joens hasn’t found the pace of the game yet and is caught in possession a second team. Robertson bails him out.
Lee Kang-in → Kvaratskhelia
Gakpo → Diaz.
10:08 PM GMT
99 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Joao Neves catches Jones in possession and sends Dembélé off on a counter attack but Liverpool’s defence stands firm and force him to turn tail to hold on to the ball. PSG start to probe again but much deeper now.
10:05 PM GMT
97 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Donnarumma flies out to punch a cross one-handed, Superman style. He has his critics and he does have a seat of the pants style but it is largely effective.
10:03 PM GMT
95 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Doué holds off Szoboszlai to take Vitinha’s knockdown from Kvaratskhelia’s cross from the left. He cushions it back to goal takes another touch to spin and thump a left-foot shot into the hoardings, missing by centimetres with Alisson well beaten.
10:01 PM GMT
93 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
PSG corner on the left. They take it short and Doué whips in the inswinging cross with his right. Beraldo soars to win the header but steers it half a metre wide of the left post from eight yards. So close.
09:58 PM GMT
91 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Off we go, PSG attacking the Kop, so as they were at the end of the half having lost the toss.
Jones → Mac Allister
Zaire-Emery → Ruiz.
09:55 PM GMT
Ninety-minute verdict
A brilliant game. Doubt there will be any better in this year’s Champions League. Liverpool were the better team in the second half. I’m sure every neutral watching is happy there is an extra 30 minutes, and none more than Eddie Howe and every Newcastle fan.
09:54 PM GMT
End of normal time Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Beraldo wins the header and it goes straight up the chimney. Donnarumma goes up to punch it and Quansah clatters into him.
The ref blows for a foul and then for time.
Extra-time will follow and with it the possibility of a sixth sub should one be needed.
09:52 PM GMT
90+5 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Two fine crosses from Robertson on the left and the second is repelled by Nuno Mendes’ header. Liverpool corner.
09:51 PM GMT
90+3 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Beraldo → Marquinhos.
Kvaratskhelia takes the free-kick, left of centre, and pumps it straight into the wall.
09:50 PM GMT
90+2 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Salah and Szobiszlai work the ball rapidly from right to left to Robertson who is in behind Hakimi but his cross shot is neither Arthir or Martha and Donnarumma smothers.
PSG break and Mac Allister cynically brings down Dembele 25 yards out at the price of a booking.
09:48 PM GMT
90 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Allez, allez, allez, resounds around Anfield as five minutes of stoppage time are programmed into the board. van Dijk and Robertson shut the door on Doué as he tried to wriggle through the box.
09:45 PM GMT
88 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Dembélé‘s persistence troubles Liverpool on the counter and he sets up Kvaratskhelia to whip a right-foot shot from the left angle of the box over the junction of bar and right post.
09:44 PM GMT
87 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
PSG have been kettled in their own half for almost the entire second period but Liverpool have not been able to land a decisive blow.
09:43 PM GMT
85 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Donnarumma saves smartly at the near post from Diaz after excellent work by Robertson plays in Nunez who tries to find Salah but the ball rebounds to the Colombia winger.
Then Salah tries to hook a left-foot volley from the right of the box over Donnarumma but he dives to slap it away.
All Liverpool now.
09:40 PM GMT
83 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Misunderstanding from Nunez who receives the ball in the inside-right channel and pokes it through for Salah on the overlap. But Salah wasn’t aborad his bike and there are groans as the ball rolls out of play.
Seconds later Nunez and Diaz get into a bit of a row over who should have chased a diagonal from right to left, Nunez maintaining it was Diaz’s job and vice versa.
09:38 PM GMT
82 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Quansah hits the post with a crisp header from Robertson’s free-kick and it shoots across the line but the flag goes up for Nunez’s foul on the edge of the area.
09:37 PM GMT
80 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Slot must be weighing up extra-time as the moment for Gakpo’s introduction given he has said he would only be able to manage a short stint.
Diaz is brought down by Doué as he dribbles at pace infield from the left.
09:34 PM GMT
78 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Szoboszlai is penalised for a foul down bt PSG’s left corner flag.
Time for Nunez to either get sent off, miss a sitter, or be the matchwinner.
Arf!
09:33 PM GMT
76 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Clever near post run from Quansah leaves him unmarked but he flashes his header over the bar.
09:32 PM GMT
75 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Quansah combines with Salah to make the space to bend in a cross that Vitinha heads behind for a corner.
09:31 PM GMT
74 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Alexander-Arnold cannot continue:
Quansah → Alexander-Arnold
Nunez → Jota.
09:30 PM GMT
72 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Alexander-Arnold rolls his right ankle when his studs get stuck as he tried to tackle Nuno Mendes.
He looks in severe pain and pulls his shirt over his mouth. .
09:28 PM GMT
70 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
After a lengthy chat and a long delay when he was sent down the touchline to stay loose because Liverpool had started to play well, Nunez is stripped and ready to come on.
09:27 PM GMT
68 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Salah goes down in the box after a typical Alexander-Arnold chip over the top into his stride. Nuno Mendes definitely caught him but it was outside the box and given the referee didn’t award a foul, VAR cannot intervene to correct him.
First change:
Doué → Barcola.
09:23 PM GMT
66 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
As most suspected, there’s nowt wrong with Donnarumma but Italian gamesmanship has always been the gold standard, well, at least since they learnt all Uruguay’s tricks.
09:21 PM GMT
64 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Donnarumma leaps out off one leg to punch the corner away but it slides off his knuckles and lands at the feet of Salah who thumps a shot that would have restored Liverpool’s lead but for another PSG block, this time by Kvaratskhelia a yard off the line.
Donnarumma sits down and asks for treatment. The ref stops the game.
For the first time in this tie, Liverpool are consistently playing the better football.
09:19 PM GMT
62 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Pacho, who is playing very well, blocks Jota’s shot. You sense through sheer weight of shots that the breakthrough is coming. Mac Allister is hit by a couple of objects thrown by the away fans as he lines up the corner.
09:18 PM GMT
60 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
And now Diaz is played into the left of the box as Liverpool break at speed but he doubles back and bottles the shot to pass to the heavily marked Salah instead and PSG crowd him out.
09:16 PM GMT
59 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
All Liverpool now as they up the tempo and Pacho makes a wonderful block at full stretch to stop Szoboszlai’s first-time shot arrowing into the bottom left corner. Then from the subsequent corner Donnarumma makes a superb diving save from Diaz’s scuffed header, slapping it away with his right palm.
09:15 PM GMT
56 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Although Mac Allister has just been penalised for kicking Vitinha on the ankle, I agree with Chris. Nunez is being givenhis instructions.
Mac Allister has had an excellent start to the second half. It’s got Anfield going.
09:13 PM GMT
54 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Liverpool have injected some urgency and they have started to ping the passes around, opening up a shooting opportunity for Alexander-Arnold who crashes a right-foot riser over from 20 yards.
09:12 PM GMT
52 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Liverpool have the ball in the back of the net when Szoboszlai fires in at the back post after Alexander-Arnold’s fizzing shot had been saved and his follow up hit the inside of one post an scuttled across the goal-line to the other. But Diaz was offside in the build-up.
09:08 PM GMT
50 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
What Liverpool changes could break the pattern of this match? An extra midfielder, Jones, say, instead of Jota as they keep getting squeezed in the centre or someone utterly unorthodox for Jota, someone like the inimitable Nunez?
09:06 PM GMT
48 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Pacho uses his arms, like his central defensive partner Marquinhos, to stop Diogo Jota on halfway. That yellow card will cost Marquinhos a one-match European ban.
09:04 PM GMT
46 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
No changes and PSG kick off, attacking the Kop. Marquinhos is booked for wrapping his arm around Díaz’s waist as the Colombia winger burst past him. Free-kick on the left, parallel with the 18-yard line. Robertson bends it in and Hakimi heads it away. It sparks a counter but Liverpool get back in numbers to cover.
08:50 PM GMT
Half-time verdict
Slot needs one of his famous half-time rethinks. Liverpool started well, but the longer the half went on the more superior PSG became. The erratic finishing of the French may yet haunt them. Slot will be looking to his bench early in the second half if there is no immediate momentum shift.
08:48 PM GMT
Half-time: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
And the sand in the glass trickles away in an instant.
PSG have been very good on the break. Liverpool have had far more of the ball but need more precision with their passing and heading at attacking corners.
08:47 PM GMT
45 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Just a minute of stoppage time to come.
Feels like PSG turning the screw at the end of this first half. Winning a lot of the key battles. Nuno Mendes hasn’t been beaten by Salah since the sixth minute. Demble and Kvaratskhelia staying very high and wide and look dangerous on the wings. But it can turn on a moment. A high-quality game in all aspects.
08:46 PM GMT
44 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Liverpool want a penalty when Szoboszlai goes down like a bag of spanners half a yard inisde the box as he tried to hold it up, back-to-goal, and roll his man. The referee tells him to get up. The replay shows Ruiz’s left leg catching him on the back of the thigh but he went down in instalments
.
08:45 PM GMT
42 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Liverpool’s final pass has let them down so far. I think that has as much to do with PSG’s aggressive marking as any failure in execution.
08:43 PM GMT
40 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Another good save from Alisson to claw a deflected Dembélé left foot shot from the right of the area that spun viciously off Mac Allister towards the top left. PSG again make nothing of the corner.
08:41 PM GMT
38 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Nuno Mendes brings the ball forward, stepping into the inside-left channel from full-back to stride forward and then play Kvaratskhelia down the line. The winger feints and then shoots between Konaté and Alexander-Arnold as they tried to shut the door but it was gentle enough for Alisson to flop forward and gather.
Donnarumma looks so edgy for PSG. Despite their comfort in possession and their increasing number of chances, the difference between the teams over both legs could be the keepers.
08:38 PM GMT
36 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Two shots over the bar from Diogo Jota and Kvaratskhelia, the latter turned over the bar by Gravenberch’s outstretched leg. Alisson again catches a poor corner and triggers the counter with a punt to Díaz. He has Salah and Szoboszlain in support but PSG flood back into defence to pick off a wayward pass.
08:35 PM GMT
34 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
As Chris said one misplaced midfield pass could be lethal and when Ruiz catches Mac Alllister overstretching and nips the ball away and upfield, Dembélé really should have made Liverpool pay as he closed in on Alisson. But a heavy touch knocks the ball into Alisson’s orbit and he manages to smother it.
08:33 PM GMT
30 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Mac Allister and Szoboszlai team up to rob Kvaratskhelia but the Georgia winger won’t stand for it and flies in to make a very forceful tackle on Mac Allister. The ball thuds into the hoardings and he celebrates like Ruben Dias after a blocking a gola-bound shot.
08:30 PM GMT
28 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
The crowd sounds stunned even though Liverpool are on the ball and going forward. It may be the microphones. Alexander-Arnold pings a long, flat diagonal out to Salah on the right who advances in to whip a cross with his left foot that Donnarumma could have caught but he drops it and allows panic to set in. But the Italy keeper gets back to his feet sharpish to catch Szoboszlai’s cross back in.
08:28 PM GMT
26 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Spooking Donnarumma with the high press is making him flap. He has just shanked a fly-kick into touch when Díaz gave him the hurry up.
Both sides are happy to go long to put the opposition defence under pressure. Sean Dyche would be proud of some of these tactics. Liverpool’s big problem is how quick PSG on the counter-attack. One misplaced pass in midfield can be fatal.
08:26 PM GMT
24 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Van Dijk intercepts a Kvaratskhelia cut back at the edge of the Liverpool box and chips the ball forward 40 yards looking for Salah but PSG mop up. As Alan Shearer points out Dembélé‘s movement is causing Konaté problems.
08:24 PM GMT
21 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
I hope your Amazon Prime feed, if you’re watching, isn’t stuttering as much as mine. Liverpool have had plenty of the ball but this man-to-man defensive system of their opponents does limit their passing options. They have looked most dangerous when dribbling.
08:21 PM GMT
18 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
PSG nearly catch Liverpool out again when Alexander-Arnold is mugged in midfield, Kvaratskhelia glides forward, from centre to right, ane then plays a cute reverse pass to his left for Barcola who tries to shoot through Alisson’s legs as the two converge but the Liverpool goalie manages to shut them in time.
Liverpool had their chances before that Ousmane Dembele goal. But the PSG team, under pressure on many occasions, has been very impressive. They play the ball out under the press very well. Of course, they still have to stop this Liverpool attack. But PSG have responded well to the fervour of an Anfield European knockout tie atmosphere.
08:17 PM GMT
15 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 1 (1)
Liverpool don’t seem particularly fazed by conceding and both Díaz and Konaté get shots off that have to be dealt with.
Last week it was PSG regretting missing early chances. Now the roles are reversed. Looks like the trick of winning this tie is scoring against the run of play.
08:12 PM GMT
GOAL!
Liverpool 0 PSG 1 (Dembélé) The crowd falls silent as PSG make the siege of their goal like rope-a-dope. Dembélé drops into midfield to receive Mendes’ pass arrowed from left-back to the middle of the field 40 yards from goal. He switches it to the right to Barcola who beats the offside trap, hares down the right and pings a low cross that seems to be harmless until Konaté and Alisson decide both to go for it, get in each other’s way and Dembélé pounces on the loose ball to prod it in from a couple of yards.
08:12 PM GMT
9 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 0 (0)
Wayne Rooney confounded his co-panellists before the game by saying he thought Liverpool would win easily tonight and they’ve certainly started as if they intend to do so, winning another corner on the left with a quick-release pass. Mac Allister picks out Van Dijk who backpedals to head at goal and Mendes again makes a crucial block. Szoboszlai blasts over when the ball pinballs back across the box.
Lightning start. The congestion of Anfield already making this a different game to the spacious Parc des Princes.
08:09 PM GMT
7 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 0 (0)
The corner comes to naught but Salah is on fire tonight, building another attack all by himself by stepping in off the wing on halfway and skittering 40 yards and into the box before wrapping his left instep round a shot that whistles inches past the left post with Donnarumma anchored in place with concrete boots and an air of futility. Mendes may have made avital block but he was skinned there.
08:06 PM GMT
5 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 0 (0)
Robertson makes a mess of a Ruiz cross hacking it behind at the far post under no real pressure. PSG corner that Alisson claims and arrows a long, flat pass up for Salah who is bustled off the ball by Pacho but he can’t clear it properly and Liverpool recycle the ball into the box through Mac Allister who passes when he could have shot and Szoboszlai to Salah to thunp a shot at the back post that Mendes leaps bravely in front of and diverts behind for a corner.
08:04 PM GMT
3 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 0 (0)
Konaté makes a vital and fair challenge on Kvaratskhelia as the winger attempted to raid down the left after Salah’s left-wing cross was blocked and PSG countered quickly.
08:02 PM GMT
1 min: Liverpool 0 (1) PSG 0 (0)
Terrific atmosphere and Diogo Jota is penalised very early for a raised foot as he chased a ball clipped over the top. Díaz and Salah are pushed high and wide, Jota in the Thomas Müller role.
07:57 PM GMT
The players are in the tunnel
And post You’ll Never Walk Alone it’s time for some circular cloth waving and, of course, Handel:
Ce sont les meilleures équipes
Sie sind die allerbesten Mannschaften
The main event
Die Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The champions
07:56 PM GMT
Liverpool players warm up
07:55 PM GMT
Can you spot the Telegraph columnist in the Kop
No, not Simon Heffer... I think he’s Southend:
07:36 PM GMT
PSG are finally out to warm up
Clarence Seedorf, a fine adornment to the Amazon team, says he thinks it’s because Luis Enrique wouldn’t want them to be out there too long in that atmosphere. It’s very loud but barely half full so far.
07:30 PM GMT
Slot buzzing at electric atmosphere
Slot: ‘We have the fans with us and the intensity of playing at home. They [PSG} showed us their fans’ intensity and I think our players are keen to show them ours...’
07:24 PM GMT
Congregation = congestion
No coach welcome for the Liverpool or PSG bus as they arrived at Anfield. So congested was the Anfield Road entrance, police advised the buses to take a different route. Not everyone got the memo, though. Some of the Liverpool players not involved tonight and in their private vehicles had to navigate their way through the crowd.
Conor Bradley was greeted like a hero, but it took a while for him to get in.
Should be said, despite the crowds, it has been trouble-free. It seems the diversion was due to the sheer weight of numbers of fans who congregated.
07:13 PM GMT
Red sky at night
07:09 PM GMT
Arne Slot speaks to Amazon Prime
It would have been lovely to experience the beautiful reception [flares, smoke and noise] but the police said we had to come in on a different route. They said it wasn’t safe. Let’s hope the stadium is even louder.
You could see it last week that it’s an advantage to play at home and not only for us. To play the same kind of football for PSG as they did last week, I’m curious to see if they can do that [without fervent support].
They play all in, man v man, all over the pitch. They have lightning fast attackers and fullbacks. We have to be more aggressive without the ball and hopefully the many moments we have to hurt them in the counter-attack we are better than last week.
If we can be more aggressive with second balls with the help of the fans... that’s the risk they take playing one to one, leaving your keeper as the spare man. So if you have 10 long balls [you have to win those second balls].
Cody only trained yesterday so he wasn’t close to starting after three or four weeks. It’s nice to have him because he would be a good substitution to make.
07:04 PM GMT
Your teams in black and white
Liverpool Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konaté, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Jota, Díaz.
Substitutes Kelleher, Jaros, Endo, Núñez, Chiesa, Jones, Gakpo, Elliott, Tsimikas, McConnell, Quansah
Paris Saint-Germain Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Kvaratskhelia, Dembélé, Barcola.
Substitutes Safonov, Tenas, Kimpembe, Ramos, Doué, Lee, Hernández, Mayulu, Zaïre-Emery, Beralso, Mbaye.
Referee: Istvan Kovacs (Romania)
07:01 PM GMT
PSG are also unchanged from last week
Paris Saint-Germain (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Kvaratskhelia, Dembélé, Barcola
Substitutes Safonov, Tenas, Kimpembe, Ramos, Doué, Lee, Hernández, Mayulu, Zaïre-Emery, Beralso, Mbaye.
06:58 PM GMT
Looks familiar
There will be a familiar face on the Kop tonight. Liverpool legend and Telegraph columnist Jamie Carragher is sitting in the famous stand as part of the CBS Champions League coverage for American TV. It’s only the second time he has watched a game from there – the first time being in 1987 when he was a young Evertonian. Suffice to say, if the Kop start chanting about ‘a team of Carraghers’ as they did in his heyday, there will be suspicions about who got it going.
06:56 PM GMT
Liverpool team news
Unchanged from Parc des Princes. Tsimikas, Jones and Nunez drop out from the victory over Southampton and Robertson, Mac Alllister and Jota come back in:
06:52 PM GMT
Liverpool look to Anfield factor
‘Bring the noise,’ is the summary of Arne Slot’s programme notes. Paris Saint-Germain have enjoyed six days of compliments putting one in mind of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup winning team. If they produce a performance to win at Anfield by two clear goals, cancelling out their first leg deficit – they will receive even more praise and it would rank as one of their greatest European displays.
But Liverpool do not expect to be as insipid as they were in Paris, and always believe a vociferous home support will carry them over the line. One way or another, we’re expecting Le Classique at Anfield.
06:45 PM GMT
Interesting to see what PSG will do with their line-up
They made eight changes for their 4-1 away victory over Rennes at the weekend. The assumption is that Luis Enrique will revert to the starting XI from last Wednesday at Parc des Princes even if Matvey Safonov, in goal, and Goncalo Ramos played very well.
06:39 PM GMT
Ryan Gravenberch speaks to Amazon Prime
We have to do a lot better than last week. They’re a really good team who lay with a lot of intensity. They pushed us back w ith a lot of movement in behind and we have to be prepared for that. Everyone knows that the Anfield crowd will be spot on and like a 12th man for us. We will show them.
I will give evrything and show we are a lot better than last week.
06:34 PM GMT
Slot: Our most complete opponent so far this season
Liverpool manager Arne Slot says his side must produce their best performance of the season to keep their treble hopes alive as Paris Saint-Germain have vowed to conquer Anfield.
The Premier League leaders hold a one-nil lead despite being outplayed in the Parc des Princes a week ago. PSG coach Luis Enrique claims the winner at Anfield will proceed to the final in Munich on May 31, and there is no shortage of confidence from the French champions that they will overturn their deficit.
Slot did not agree it was a formality that victory would put the final in sight, but acknowledged his side is facing its most formidable opponent since he took over last summer.
“Yes, I do think so because they are the most complete team we have faced so far,” said Slot.
“What I mean by complete is we have faced Arsenal and [Man] City. Not that there are big margins but the intensity they played at, combined with the quality because we are talking here about probably the richest clubs, maybe there is one club a bit further ahead.
“They have so much quality and a great manager because he has the team playing in a way that is not easy to play against He brings the best out of every player and incredible work-rate and we have to be at our best. But, for example, we didn’t have ball possession at City away– the other richest club in the world together with Paris Saint-Germain – but at home, we had a completely different performance against City than away.”
Slot is in the midst of his biggest week since replacing Jürgen Klopp, having extended the Premier League lead to 15 points and with the League Cup final beckoning on Sunday.
But the Dutchman says he is not romanticising about the possibilities of lifting silverware.
“No, in a week like this I do not dream at all,” said Slot, who will welcome Cody Gakpo back from injury.
“If you have a game like we did last week, you feel like: ‘Can I even go to sleep at all? Or do I have to watch even more?.’ So no, I do not dream at all at the moment about this week. We are just focused on what we have to do tomorrow. It started very well in terms of beating Southampton. Now we are just looking forward. Everyone looks forward to a game of football like this, at Anfield, two great teams playing against each other.”
Enrique believes his players have what it takes to end Liverpool’s Champions League hopes.
“The game is bound to be more balanced but I am very optimistic with the ability my team has,” said Enrique.
04:56 PM GMT
Sign up for the best of our football news, features and analysis
04:55 PM GMT
Betting on tonight’s game?
Take a look at these best betting sites for free bets and betting offers.
04:53 PM GMT
Preview: Stoats on speed
Good evening and welcome to live coverage of the second leg of Liverpool’s round of 16 Champions League tie against Paris Saint -Germain which they begin with a 1-0 lead from Parc des Princes after Alisson’s preposterously defiant performance in goal and Harvey Elliott’s late exploitation of Gianluigi Donnarumma’s surprisingly flimsy wrist. The two sides have essentially wrapped up domestic league titles – Liverpool lead the Premier League by 15 points, PSG Ligue 1 by 16 – but while a 20th championship is the one the home side cherish most, their visitors’ 14-year serpentine quest to reward their Qatar owners’ investment with the cup they crave most as well as a sense of injustice from last week will drive them on like stoats doped to the whiskers with amphetamine sulphate.
However their form in the group stage which brought defeats by Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Atlético suggests that Liverpool, who won their first seven games before approaching the last with lit Havanas and balloons of Rémy Martin, should be able to weather the storm to win the prize of a quarter-final tie against Aston Villa or, far less likely, Club Brugge.
PSG have played at Anfield only once before, losing 3-2 in the group stage by virtue of Roberto Firmino’s late winner from the bench in the season that Liverpool went on to win their sixth European Cup. A measure of PSG’s evolution from that team of mercurial, self-regarding glamour boys to today’s vintage of youthful, mainly Parisian verve is that only one player survives in the side from the night: the captain Marquinhos. In Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah, Liverpool have five starters from that match.
The Red Men’s captain and his two full-backs will have their work cut out again against PSG’s fluid frontline of Ousmane Dembélé (28 goals in 35 appearances since moving to a floating false nine role), Bradley Barcola (18 in 41) and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the January signing from Napoli called ‘the new Salah’ by Fabio Capello and Luciano Spalletti or like ‘prime Eden Hazard’ according to Thierry Henry. Should be a cracker.
