Liverpool's Roberto Firmino came from the bench
on Tuesday night to secure three points for his team.
In a game between one side looking to create a
legacy in Europe and another trying to rediscover
theirs, it was the latter who came out on top of a
five-goal affair.
Klopp said there is no team like Liverpool in the
build-up to the game and Paris Saint-Germain might
have felt the same after the start when they were
under serious attack. Liverpool were peppering the
visitors' goals with shots, corners and creating
general mayhem in their penalty area.
They got their reward after an ambitious start when
Daniel Sturridge headed home unmarked after 30
minutes. Sturridge hadn't played in the Champions
League since December of last year in a 7-0 win over
Spartak Moscow but he announced his return with a
positive performance and a well-taken goal.
The flurry continued and Liverpool continued to push
for more. They had a penalty on 36 minutes when
Wijnaldum was hauled down and Milner dispatched
the penalty.
PSG were handed a lifeline when the ball landed to
Thomas Meunier just inside the box and he slammed
home on the volley despite more than a hint of
offside from Edinson Cavani who swung a foot at it,
causing Liverpool to hesitate with their clearance.
Liverpool continued their dominance into the second
half with PSG retreating. They didn't just retreat,
however, they went into defensive mode with no
apparent way of striking back. They had accepted
their fate or knew no other way to respond such was
Liverpool's relentlessness.
But Liverpool couldn't consolidate their lead. Mbappe
made them pay when he struck on 83 minutes. After
a marginal offside called on Mane and PSG's lack of
intent, it looked like Liverpool would have to suffice
for a point when they deserved more.
The football gods shone down on Anfield Road,
however, as Firmino, the hero, took the ball on the
right and made his way toward goal. He faked with
his left and put the ball on his right to slide home a
neat finish beyond Areola.
PSG continue to search for their identity in Europe as
they look around at some genuine footballing giants
and try to draw inspiration from them. Historically,
there are only a few bigger than Liverpool and at
Anfield on Tuesday night, the reds gave the upstart
PSG a lesson in how to win in Europe.
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