PSG 2 Liverpool 1: Neymar and Juan Bernat strikes leave Reds in danger of early Champions League exit
James Milner pulled one back before half-time in action-packed first half in which Marco Veratti could have seen red – leaving Reds needing to beat Napoli 1-0 or by two goals
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UNBEATEN in the Premier League and completely beatable away from home in Europe.
Liverpool remain in Manchester City’s wing mirror at the top of Premier League but last season’s fabulous journey to Kiev in the Champions League final seems a long time ago.
Following a third successive away loss in Europe, Jurgen Klopp faces an unwanted route into the Europa League.
Liverpool must now beat Napoli by more than one goal on December 11 and while it is not an impossible task, Klopp’s team will be up against it against the Italians.
Not that Liverpool can have too many complaints about last night's result in the French capital.
There was film and rock royalty in the Parc Des Princes in the form of Leo Di Caprio and Mick Jagger and PSG rediscovered their swagger before attempting to make a mess of things.
Goals from Juan Bernat and posterboy Neymar put PSG in command after James Milner scored a hotly-disputed penalty which gave Klopp’s team hope but they could not make the most of a much better second half performance.
At a time when Liverpool are enjoying their best ever defensive start to a campaign with just five goals conceded – and no matches lost – they have looked ragged on their travels.
Their first loss last season did not come until the semi-finals against Roma although replace Sevilla, Maribor and Spartak Moscow with PSG, Napoli and Red Star Belgrade and you have a far tougher group this time around.
Having decided to wear an all-white European kit rather than their dark blue home strip, PSG were impressive from the start and Joe Gomez, preferred at right-back instead of Trent Alexander-Arnold, was handed a tough evening he can only learn from.
With Liverpool on the back foot right from the start, it was no surprise that PSG took an early lead.
The only shock was that it was Spanish left-back Bernat, whose only other goal this term was an effort in the 1-1 draw in Napoli.
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Virgil van Dijk has certainly been outstanding for Liverpool his since arrival Southampton but he will not want to see a replay of the first goal.
He made a complete mess of Kylian Mbappe’s cross and the ball fell to Neymar who teed up Bernat, with his strike into the corner – albeit with a slight deflection off Gomez - leaving keeper Alisson rooted to the spot.
PSG looked a menace every time they got into Liverpool’s half. Their second goal was outstanding and few teams in the world could have defended against this.
Mbappe, having despite just annoyed the home fans by losing possession with a needless backheel, flew down the left like a 100m Olympic springer and his cross was met perfectly by Cavani but Becker delivered the block.
He ball fell to Neymar, who had initially unleashed Mbappe and the £200million man had the easiest chance of threading the ball into the bottom right corner.
Yet there were howls of derision when Polish referee Szymon Marciniak pointed to the spot after initially pointing for a corner. Yet the goal-line official but have seen that Di Maria launched himself at Mane and the penalty was the right decision.
PSG’s players were spitting mad with the referee but they should have been more annoyed with their player for delivering such a stupid tackle.
James Milner confidently sent 40-year-old Buffon the wrong way to level on the stroke of half-time.
Although fine up front, PSG – clearly not tested enough in their domestic league – are capable of some car-crash defending and they kept the PSG fans on the edge of their seats with some bizarre decision making at the back.
Liverpool pegged PSG back in their own half but could not make the breakthrough and now, the club’s fans have the dreaded prospect of Thursday night football.
